Centre Releases National Guidelines On Medical Oxygen Management

New Delhi: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday released the national guidelines on medical oxygen management.

The guidelines, released at a workshop held at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, aim to boost the infrastructure for medical oxygen, as well as to meet any surge in demands.

Medical oxygen is an essential clinical need for children and adults with a range of acute and chronic conditions, as well as for those undergoing surgery.

The release of the guidelines marks a significant step toward strengthening the country’s medical oxygen infrastructure and ensuring uniform best practices in oxygen management across healthcare facilities. “It is critical to properly maintaining and utilising medical oxygen infrastructure so that demands for any surge capacities may be met promptly at the time of any exigencies,” said Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary at the event.

She also stressed the need for inculcating learnings from India’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The oxygen demand can rise substantially during emergencies, such as epidemics, pandemics like during Covid, and natural disasters.

The comprehensive guidelines provide a framework for the efficient procurement, storage, and administration of medical oxygen. It focuses on patient safety, capacity building, and emergency preparedness.