Punjab Health Minister issues strict directives for uninterrupted oxygen supply in all critical care units
The directives came in the wake of the death of three patients at the civil hospital in Jalandhar on Sunday, with the kin of the deceased blaming a technical fault in the oxygen supply at the trauma centre for the deaths.
Presiding over a high-level meeting with civil surgeons from all districts, Balbir Singh emphasised the need for 24x7 oxygen availability, functional UPS systems and fully operational generator sets to prevent any disruption in life-saving medical services.
Balbir Singh said that approximately one thousand new doctors will be joining in the coming months, as the recruitment process is near completion, which will considerably improve the quality of health services.
The Health Minister also issued stringent directives regarding medicine supply, instructing civil surgeons to maintain at least one month's buffer stock of all 368 types of essential medicines and warned against any shortage of essential medicines.
"No patient should be prescribed any medicines from outside the hospital," he said, while reiterating that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led government's commitment to ensure free and accessible healthcare.
He said that Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) have been empowered to purchase any non-essential medicine as per their requirement, warning that strict disciplinary action would be taken against any non-complying medical officer.
To bolster the medicine dispensing system and overall patient experience, civil surgeons and SMOs were also directed to visit OPDs daily and collect patient feedback.
To further enhance patient satisfaction, Balbir Singh directed civil surgeons to ensure that Outpatient Department (OPD) services are delivered within an hour of registration.
In another move to enhance critical care capabilities, the minister announced that every doctor and paramedic, including staff nurses, will undergo training in critical care and advanced life support.
He also tasked each civil surgeon to submit their district's health status in comparison to the Millennium Development Goals, enabling the department to set targets for better progress.>
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