Tk1.68cr oxygen plant remains idle at Thakurgaon hospital

An oxygen plant installed at Thakurgaon General Hospital at a cost of Tk1.68 crore has remained out of operation since 2024 due to a shortage of technical manpower and lack of maintenance, raising concerns over emergency oxygen supply.

The plant was installed at the 250-bed hospital in 2022 under a project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It was designed to produce oxygen from atmospheric air and supply it to different hospital wards through pipelines.

According to hospital sources, the plant was installed by M/s Al-Madina Traders under a contract with the Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD). The contractor’s engineers and technicians operated and maintained it during the three-year warranty period. However, their visits stopped following political changes in 2024, eventually forcing the plant to shut down.

Omar Farooq, a representative of the contracting company, said the firm had operated the plant with its own technicians during the three-year warranty period and trained three hospital employees to operate it.

He said a CMSD inspection team had found the plant satisfactory after the warranty period, following which the company’s 10 per cent performance guarantee was released. Responsibility for its operation and maintenance subsequently rested with the government department and hospital authorities, he added.

Rakibul Alam Chayan, the hospital’s then resident medical officer, said

“There is no major problem with the machinery. It can be brought back into operation within a few days if a skilled technical team and operators are provided. However, the hospital authorities cannot operate it on their own,” he said.

Hospital supervisor Firoz Zaman said three to four skilled operators were required to run the electricity-powered plant in three shifts. However, the hospital has no dedicated technicians for the job. He warned that operating the plant without proper supervision and regular maintenance could lead to short circuits, fires and even explosions.

He added that the Ministry of Health and the Directorate General of Health Services had been informed about the shutdown, but no effective measures had been taken so far.

The prolonged shutdown has also worried patients’ relatives, who fear a shortage of oxygen in emergencies if the hospital’s central supply system fails.

Jamal Hossain, a relative of a patient admitted to the medicine ward, said the plant could have served as an important backup during emergencies.

Another patient’s relative, Nur Nehar, said the facility could have ensured an additional source of oxygen for critically ill patients.

Abdul Latif, Thakurgaon district president of Citizens for Good Governance (Sujan), said alternative oxygen supply was essential for emergency healthcare.

He urged the health authorities to deploy skilled technicians and bring the plant back into operation, saying public money should not be wasted while patients remain deprived of a potentially vital service.