The State Government of Karnataka vide its notification dated 9th May 2021 has issued guidelines for rationalizing the use of oxygen in Covid-19 hospitals and it has been issued under Section 24 of the Disaster Management Act 2005 and section 4 of the Karnataka Epidemic diseases Act 2020. Any violation of these guidelines will attract penalties under relevant sections of the above-mentioned Acts and the IPC
As per the guidelines, each district shall set up a District Oxygen Cell immediately which shall function 24×7 and manned by adequate staff/operator.
The District Oxygen Cell shall keep a watch over all the Re-Fillers in their district as well as the Re-Fillers who supply oxygen to their district even if they are outside the district and shall keep a database of all hospitals in the district and their oxygen requirements and their oxygen suppliers.
The Cell & officers in the Cell shall be available 24×7 to all the hospitals via the HELPLINE numbers as well as personally.
Further, the hospitals (both government and private) are responsible for tying up and obtaining their regular oxygen supplies from the Oxygen Re-Filler/ Manufacturers. Without increasing these regular supplies, the hospital shall not increase their oxygenated beds.
The hospital facing an oxygen emergency which it is unable to handle on its own shall bring it to the notice of the District/Zonal Oxygen Cell at the earliest possible time via Helpline Number.
The State Oxygen Nodal Officers may order in writing that supplies to a particular hospital or more hospitals in a district shall be supplied by a particular Re-Filler and Manufacturer, for such period of time as it is necessary to meet the COVID-19 pandemic oxygen requirements of hospitals/districts.
