Most of the oxygen plants set up in various hospitals in Karnataka are likely to be shut down during the Covid pandemic, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Monday.
During the epidemic, 243 Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) oxygen plants were installed in district and taluk hospitals. Post-Covid, there has been a significant drop in oxygen demand in various hospitals which makes it more viable to purchase oxygen cylinders than to repair these plants, Rao told the Legislative Council. According to the minister, it costs Rs 5 lakh annually to repair each unit.
Responding to a question by MLC Dr Yatindra S during question time in the Legislative Parliament, the Minister said that the state government had sought funds under the National Health Mission for the maintenance of these units. Among the reasons for the drop in demand was the low purity of oxygen supplied by these units.
In response to another question from MLC K Govindaraj, Rao said that as per provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, the government canceled the licenses of 292 drug shops in the financial year 2023-24. 21,694 inspections were carried out during the period, after which 1,245 outlets were suspended.
699 inspections in 2 years
The health department has inspected 699 drug stores in the last two years after receiving complaints about illegal drug sales and distribution. Out of which 494 were inspected in 2022-23 and 205 in 2023-24.
According to data shared by the minister, show cause notices were issued after 343 inspections in 2022-23 and 129 in 2023-24. Subsequently, 89 pharma licenses were suspended: 65 in 2022-23 and 24 in 2023-24, and 23 cases were filed against them.
Rao has six convictions for violating drug and cosmetics regulations in recent years, and 20 other counts of indictment.