Cuttack: Authorities of Sriram Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) here have failed to clear the bills of two private agencies that supply oxygen to the premier health institute.
SCBMCH authorities have not cleared the bills of the two agencies for last four months. It is learnt that the hospital owes around Rs 70 lakh to the two firms.
The demand for oxygen cylinders has gone up at SCBMCH with the rise in the number of patients. At present, the hospital requires at least 400 oxygen cylinders of 42 kg each, sources said.
A couple of days ago, the authorities of pulmonary department wrote to the superintendent of SCBMCH and sought at least 100 oxygen cylinders per a day.
Pulmonary department sources claimed that there was a stiff rise in the number of patients at the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU).
“Oxygen cylinders are much required to save the lives of many critical patients. Any disruption in the supply of oxygen cylinders may prove to be fatal for many critically-ill patients,” said a source in the SCBMCH.
According to sources, SCBMCH authorities have signed agreements with Anand Gas Private Limited and Paradip Gas Private Limited to source oxygen cylinders. The hospital authorities have not cleared the bills of the two firms for the months of March, April, May and June.
Sources claimed that SCBMCH authorities owe Rs 38.17 lakh to Anand Gas Private Limited and Rs 32.34 lakh to Paradip Gas Private Limited, sources said. “The two firms recently informed the SCBMCH authorities that they are facing problems to supply oxygen cylinders due to delay in payments,” said a source familiar to the issue.
Meanwhile, many social activists have expressed concern over non-payment of dues to the oxygen suppliers. “This is a very serious issue. There will be a Gorakhpur-like situation and the lives of many critically-ill patients will be in danger if the two firms stop supplying oxygen cylinders to SCBMCH,” said a social activist.
SCBMCH administrative officer Kalpataru Behera said they are taking steps to clear the bills of the two oxygen suppliers.
SCBMCH superintendent CBK Mohanty said there is no chance of disruption in the supply of oxygen cylinders to the hospital. “As per the agreements, the two firms cannot stop supplying oxygen to SCBMCH. We will clear their bills by July 25,” Mohanty added.
It is worth mentioning here that at least 60 patients died due to shortage of oxygen at Baba Raghav Das Medical College and Hospital at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. A private firm had stopped supplying oxygen cylinders to the hospital in the wake of non-payment of dues to the tune of Rs 68 lakh.