Under fire over patient deaths, Punjab invites firms to maintain oxygen plants
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Chandigarh: Under fire after three patients died at the trauma ward of Jalandhar civil hospital due to a failure in oxygen supply system, Punjab govt has initiated corrective measures to revive and maintain oxygen generation infrastructure.
After the tragedy in Jalandhar, Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) had sought details on the operational status of pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and liquid medical oxygen (LMO) plants. Data shared by district health authorities revealed that 35 PSA plants, of varying capacities, are non-functional at present. These include facilities at major district hospitals in Jalandhar, Fazilka, Sangrur, Faridkot, Mohali, and Kapurthala, as well as sub-divisional and community health centres in Patiala, Amritsar, Ropar, Bathinda, and Ferozepur.
To address this, PHSC has decided to engage a firm for the maintenance of 38 PSA oxygen plants and 33 medical gas pipeline systems (MGPS) in public hospitals. A tender for a three-year contract has been floated, with an estimated total value of PSA and LMO plants pegged at Rs 30 crore.
For uninterrupted oxygen availability, the selected firm will be required to set up a 24x7 centralised call centre, equipped with IVRS-based multilingual support in English, Hindi, and Punjabi, to log and respond to breakdown complaints from hospitals.
As per the contract, all fault calls must be addressed within an hour, with on-site repairs carried out by trained and safety-compliant personnel.
The firm must also develop a medical oxygen management dashboard, integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) devices installed in all PSA plants under maintenance. The dashboard will display live operational status, real-time staffing data, and monthly breakdown trends, while also functioning as a grievance redressal platform and oxygen cylinder stock tracker.
Additionally, the dashboard will interface with PHSC's Biomedical Equipment Maintenance Management Programme (BEMMP) to monitor the functionality of other oxygen-related infrastructure, such as concentrators.
The contractor must ensure consistent oxygen pressure of 4–5 bars across all critical delivery points, conduct quarterly preventive maintenance or servicing after every 3,000 hours of operation, and carry out annual calibration of gauges, analysers, and control panels.
Oxygen purity must be verified yearly by NABL-accredited laboratories.
The firm will also be required to deploy trained technicians in each district, equipped with standard safety gear, uniforms, and ID cards, and to undertake repairs, manifold systems, and electrical components.
A standby mechanism must be in place for any major breakdown lasting more than 48 hours. Penalties ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per day per unit will be imposed for delays in response or failure to attend breakdown calls.
EXPECTATIONS FROM SELECTED FIRM
Selected firm will be required to set up a 24x7 centralised call centre to log and respond to breakdown complaints
All fault calls must be addressed within an hour, with on-site repairs carried out by trained and safety-compliant personnel.
The firm must also develop a medical oxygen management dashboard, integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) devices installed in all PSA plants under maintenance
The dashboard will display live operational status, real-time staffing data, and monthly breakdown trends
Contractor must ensure consistent oxygen pressure of 4–5 bars across all critical delivery points, conduct quarterly preventive maintenance or servicing after every 3,000 hours of operation, and carry out annual calibration of gauges, analysers, and control panels
Firm will also be required to deploy trained technicians in each district
A standby mechanism must be in place for any major breakdown lasting more than 48 hours
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