A Shillong Times investigation
From Biplab Kr Dey
TURA, Aug 29: Two years down the line after a string of eight oxygen plants were set up during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, all units find themselves inoperational, thanks to government apathy.
It was during the time of COVID that measures to improve the health infrastructure of the state, including the creation of additional health infrastructure in the state, was taken up on a war footing. One of those measures was the setting up of these eight oxygen plants in the Garo Hills region which was taken up to augment the oxygen supply of the local hospitals when oxygen cylinders were the premium life savers for those impacted by the COVID-19 virus.
These units now only serve as memories of what could have been a life changer for the various hospitals in Garo Hills.
Set up at Jengjal (Baljek), Tura, Baghmara, Resubelpara, Ampati, Williamnagar, Dadenggre, and Resubelpara, each came at costs of over a crore and were commissioned during the tenure of the then Health minister, James PK Sangma.
Let’s take a look at some of these plants and their current status:
Tura Civil Hospital: The plant was set up in the year 2021 after being commissioned earlier with funds received from the state during the height of COVID -19. It was expected to assist the main hospital of the Garo Hills region with life saving oxygen and had been connected to all critical beds at the hospital. That said, nothing more happened after.
“The plant that we have in the TCH is in working condition as we have been running the plant using generators as the current electric lines are not sufficient. We tried running the plant using the normal power lines but it would trip the entire system,” explained the Medical Superintendent of the hospital.
The only option for them was to change the entire setup for which a new transformer was required. A new transformer was ordered by the TCH but despite the passage of over two years, it is still to be made functional by the MeECL.
For now, the TCH has been procuring their oxygen supply from either Bongaigaon or Byrnihat.
When questioned on the capacity of the plant itself, hospital authorities pointed out that the plant would only cater to about 20% of the oxygen requirement of the most critical patients.
“Even at its peak, the plant will not cater to more than 20-30% of the requirement. We still have to stock our oxygen from other sources – mostly from Bongaigaon in Assam. That said, the functioning of the plant in TCH would have helped to a huge extent. Currently we need a workable power supply to run the plant along with manpower to ensure the plant is kept operational. We lack both,” informed the hospital authorities.
A transformer has been purchased by the hospital but the lackadaisical attitude of the MeECL has meant that the little oxygen augmentation that would have been possible if the supply was connected, has remained a mere pipe dream.
Running the plant using generators is a very costly affair due to high fuel costs, while procuring oxygen from Bongaigaon also means extra costs. A fully functional oxygen plant would have reduced not only costs but also the requirement for manpower.
“We have no option but to run the plant for a few hours weekly lest it get out of commission. That too requires a lot of resources, including money and manpower. Further there is a requirement for skilled manpower to run these plants as we are using people meant for emergency services to keep the plant running. Once fully functional, this can become a big issue,” informed the MS.
Meanwhile the Jengjal plant is also facing a similar hurdle as it continues to remain non-functional. In fact, nothing, other than a caretaker can be seen at the Jengjal plant, indicating that the plant was commissioned more for show than to actually augment any form of critical oxygen supply.
Williamnagar Civil Hospital: The year of commissioning of the plant in Williamnagar is the same as the other plants in the region. It was inaugurated in 2021 and till it developed snag, was being run on a weekly basis just to ensure the plant remained operational. It broke down a few months ago and has become a different story altogether.
“All our oxygen procurements are made from Bongaigaon. This not only costs us money but also time as one of the few vehicles we have is used to transport the cylinders. If the plant had been up and running, this could have helped us avoid huge costs and saved on time,” informed an official from WCH.
According to the official, the plant’s operation developed the snag quite some time ago which was informed to the contractor that set up the plant. The story gets interesting thereafter.
“When we first complained about the plant not working, the contractor sent a mechanic, who did not at all inspire confidence. He fumbled through things before making an excuse and leaving. We have not been able to contact them ever since as they don’t respond to our calls. It’s really frustrating as we could really use a functioning oxygen plant in our hospital,” informed a WCH official, on condition of anonymity.
Baghmara Civil Hospital: The story of BCH is one of neglect ever since the oxygen plant was commissioned.
“We cannot run the plant as we don’t have sufficient electricity using the existing setup. Authorities have been informed through various letters and communication of the situation but nothing has come out as yet. While the oxygen supply for other districts may hardly be impacted by the functioning of the oxygen plant, the story for Baghmara is different.
A fully functioning plant could have meant the entire oxygen supply being provided by the commissioned plant. This would mean that there would have been no requirement for procurement of oxygen from outside the state.
“We have been writing to get the plant operational for the past couple of years but this has gone unheeded. Currently the plant requires a transformer so that it can be supplied regularly. We too get our oxygen supply from Bongaigaon or Guwahati in Assam,” informed the hospital authorities.
Further testing for the oxygen connections to all critical beds in the hospital has also not been completed, a matter that has been raised numerous times by the hospital to the authorities concerned.
Ampati Civil Hospital related a similar tale of woe and neglect adding that Assam actually supplies to the entire Garo Hills despite the presence of at least eight oxygen plants in Garo Hills alone.
For Resubelpara, whose 100-bed hospital is yet to be completed, the situation is not dire as they have enough supply, though their plant too is yet to be made operational with similar issues that are being faced by the rest.
“Our staff has been trained on how to operate but don’t have electric lines to ensure non-stop supply. Using generators to run the plant is out of the question due to the huge costs involved. It would have been a boon if the plant was running,” felt the DMHO of NGH.
For a region whose health infrastructure has left many scratching their heads due to the apparent lack of quality, a running supply of oxygen could have really been a boon. However it now joins the long list of projects that promised so much and delivered almost nothing. The whiff of a scam, in how the entire scheme has been run using COVID funds, has left many angry and frustrated.
“What is the point of this empty show if nothing is going to come out of it? From where we are, this infrastructure set up is amusing to say the least and could just end up in the long list of sham projects foisted on the people of the Garo Hills region,” felt a resident who, for obvious reasons, didn’t want to be named.
Is the government listening? Only time will tell.