Inside Jammu’s ‘Oxygen war room’

Situated on the first floor of Udyog Bhawan in Jammu, the mini conference room might not appear at first to be the frontline in the fight against catastrophic COVID19 pandemic, but it is working day and night to cater to the demand of oxygen cylinders from across the division.

Operating under the overall supervision of Anoo Malhotra, Director Industries & Commerce Jammu, a team of 6-8 employees of I&C Department, per shift, sit around the round conference table of the aptly named ‘Oxygen War Room’.

Kewal Krishan, Additional Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, has been appointed the Nodal Officer for the War Room, and is assisted by Madhur Anand, Jr KAS, Sub Nodal Officer.

Sheets, files, record registers, pens, mobile phones, printer and desktops crowd the table along with sanitizers, water bottles and biscuits.

Phones ring every few minutes. Desperate residents are asking for oxygen cylinder.

Madhur Anand, Sub Nodal Officer, explains the protocol.

“Patients or their relatives/friends belonging to Jammu division reach out to us through the provided contact details. The War Room members enquire about their location, COVID diagnosis, and prescription by medical practitioner for oxygen cylinder or present oxygen saturation. The requests are assessed and accordingly forwarded to the I&C Officials appointed for the management of supply and distribution of oxygen cylinders from industrial units,” he says.

He adds, “The patients or their relatives/friends can then visit the notified industrial unit. I&C Officials have received the communication from the War Room, and provide them with the oxygen cylinder then and there. The disposal at our end takes barely 10-20 minutes.”

Step by Step: SOS request for oxygen cylinder

Get tested for COVID19, followed by severity assessment
Patients (in home isolation) having medical prescription or experiencing low oxygen level can contact OWR at 9469593931, 9469593933; or controlroomdiricj@gmail.com
OWR members counsel the distressed callers, assess their case
Genuine requests are forwarded to I&C Officials to arrange cylinder from industrial units
Patients or their relatives/friends can visit the industrial unit and get new or refilled cylinder.

The War Room receives 150-200 oxygen cylinder requests daily by way of calls, texts or mails. Since its inception on 5^th May 2021, the number has crossed 800, of which nearly 300 genuine requests have been disposed off.

Kewal Krishan, Nodal Officer, tells, “The genuine requirements for oxygen cylinders on SOS basis come from – Those who have tested negative and been discharged from the hospital, but still require oxygen support; Those who are COVID positive but advised home isolation, especially who are bed-ridden or have co-morbidities; and Those who are non-COVID, but suffering from chronic diseases like asthma, cancer, etc. Most of these are for refilling the cylinders.”

What are the other distressed calls/texts for?

He says, “Pandemic has left people panic stricken. They call to know how to procure an oxygen cylinder if and when they test positive, or if they should keep an oxygen cylinder at home in apprehension of testing positive. They request for an oxygen cylinder when the patient’s oxygen parameters are fine, or even when the patient has turned critical and requires hospitalization. These people are compassionately informed and guided about the process.”

The roles and responsibilities have been divided and assigned amongst the team members of each of the three 8-hour shift. Some answer calls, some reply to the texts/emails, some update the record registers, some assess and address the requests, and so on.

Madhur says that all the members are aware of the fact a lot many lives depend on them, and as such, they are doing the best to their capacities.

He is all praises for 44-years-old Sachin Gupta, Deputy Manager (Mechanical) SIDCO, who considers his task as social service.

“He does more than just answering the calls/texts. He motivates ailing people. He alleviates their fear,” he shares.

The Oxygen War Room has also liasoned with National Health Mission’s Divisional Control Room in Jammu, which allows the team members to forward requests of COVID diagnosis, oxygen support or hospitalization.

Anoo Malhotra, Director I&C, Jammu, says, “The Directorate is dealing with all exigencies through War Room at Udyog Bhawan and from staff deputed at oxygen plants. On the directions of Ranjan Prakash Thakur, Principal Secretary, I&C, J&K, we are following a multi-pronged approach to timely and humanely address the requests of oxygen cylinders by mobilizing and streamlining the resources.”

She assures, “We are making all possible efforts to ensure that we are able to help our people who are relentlessly struggling with the devastating pandemic.”

Also: Read my article at The News Now