The oxygen generation plant at District Hospital Shopian has remained non-functional for nearly two months, causing inconvenience to patients and forcing the hospital to rely on oxygen concentrators and cylinders to meet emergency requirements.
“We were shocked to learn that the plant was not working,” said Mohammad Rafiq, an attendant of a patient admitted to the hospital.
He said the patient, who was suffering from a respiratory-related illness, developed breathing difficulties after his oxygen saturation level dropped significantly, prompting the family to shift him to the district hospital.
“Such patients require immediate oxygen support, and it is worrying when a facility meant to provide a continuous supply remains non-functional,” Rafiq said.
The hospital administration said patients were being managed through alternative arrangements, including oxygen concentrators.
“We patients are being managed through oxygen concentrators,” said Arshad Qadri, Medical Superintendent, District Hospital Shopian.
The oxygen generation plant was installed to ensure an uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen within the hospital, particularly during emergencies when demand can rise sharply. Its prolonged non-functioning has, however, left hospital authorities dependent on backup arrangements.
Ansar Hamid Sheikh, Executive Engineer, Mechanical and Hospital Division Anantnag, said the tendering process for repairing the plant had been completed and the facility would be made functional within the next two weeks.
“The tendering process has been completed, and the work will be completed within two weeks,” Sheikh said.
An official, who did not wish to be named, said non-functioning oxygen plants were not an isolated issue and that similar facilities at district hospitals across Kashmir often faced maintenance-related problems.
He attributed the delays partly to limited funds allocated for the maintenance of such plants, saying hospitals frequently struggled to undertake timely repairs and keep critical equipment operational.
The official also said district hospitals currently had liabilities of more than Rs 8 crore, further affecting their ability to meet maintenance and operational requirements.
Civil society members have expressed concern over the prolonged shutdown of the plant, particularly because oxygen is a critical requirement for patients with respiratory illnesses and those in emergency care.
“The issue is very grave and the authorities must address it on a priority basis,” said Mitha Gatoo, a social activist and civil society member from Shopian.
He said hospital authorities had to depend on oxygen cylinders and concentrators in the absence of a functional oxygen plant, which could create difficulties when several patients require oxygen simultaneously.
“The non-functioning of such a crucial facility also results in patient referrals,” Gatoo said. He that patients requiring higher levels of respiratory support may have to be shifted to other hospitals when adequate oxygen infrastructure is unavailable.
Peer Shabir Ahmad, another civil society member, said the prolonged non-functioning of essential medical infrastructure raised questions about maintenance and accountability at public health facilities.
“Installing an oxygen plant is only the first step. There must also be a proper mechanism to ensure its regular maintenance and immediate repairs whenever it develops a fault,” he said.
He urged the health authorities to ensure that the plant was restored within the promised timeframe and that adequate maintenance arrangements were put in place to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
