Dhanbad Hospital Oxygen Plant Restored After Technical Glitch, Two Others Await Repair

Dhanbad: The only functional oxygen plant installed at the Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH) became operational after a team from Patna repaired the technical malfunction in the plant late Sunday night.

Three pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants were installed on the hospital premises during the Covid-19 pandemic. Out of them, two plants had remained non-functional for the last four years. The only working plant also started malfunctioning on Thursday, forcing the administration to depend entirely on oxygen cylinders for the around 250 patients admitted in the hospital,sources said.

Attendants of three patients alleged that their family members died due to shortage of oxygen supply over the past four days.

Refuting the allegations, SNMMCH superintendent Dr Dinesh Gindauria said, “No patient died due to lack of oxygen. The fatalities occurred because of other medical complications.”

“Tenders had earlier been floated for repairing the other two non-functional oxygen plants, but no response was received from agencies. The process of re-tendering will be initiated again soon so that all three plants again become operational,” he added.


Tenders had earlier been floated for repairing the other two non-functional oxygen plants, but no response was received from agencies. The process of re-tendering will be initiated again soon