Too little money for oxygen plants

KARACHI: National Institute of Child Health (NICH) has had no oxygen plant since its inception in 1973. Oxygen needs to be bought for patients for about Rs15 million annually.

The Director of NICH, Jamal Raza, said, “Since there is no separate budget for buying oxygen gas, the NICH administration has to buy it out of the budgetary allocation of medicines. Every year we earmark Rs28 million for medicines and out of that Rs15 million is spent on oxygen gas leaving a meagre amount, which again causes a dearth of medicines.”

Raza pointed out that the budget is so insufficient that a shortage of medicines and other facilities arises only eight months after the budget is released. He reiterated the gravity of the situation by pointing out that medicines for patients over the next few weeks will be provided after the release of funds from next year’s budget.

Funds from the government and philanthropists are requested by Raza to establish an oxygen plant costing Rs40 million, this he added would also get rid of the shortage of medicines.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2nd, 2010.