Bhubaneswar, 8 September (H.S.): In a landmark initiative to strengthen emergency preparedness and patient care, the Department of Hospital Administration at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Monday organised the National Capacity Building Programme on Medical Oxygen Management – Training of Trainers (ToT). The one-day programme, held in collaboration with the Disaster Management Cell of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and AIIMS New Delhi, is the first of its kind aimed at standardising oxygen management practices across India.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, in the presence of senior officials including Dr. Dillip Kumar Parida, Medical Superintendent; Dr. P.R. Mohapatra, Dean (Academics); Dr. Satyajeet Misra, Dean (Research); Lt. Col. Abhijit Sarkar, DDA; Dr. Nirupam Madan, Medical Superintendent, AIIMS New Delhi; Dr. Vijaydeep Siddharth, Additional Professor, Hospital Administration, AIIMS New Delhi and Project Lead; and Dr. Jawahar S.K. Pillai, Head, Hospital Administration, AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

Addressing participants virtually, V. Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary, MoHFW, emphasised the importance of capacity building in medical oxygen management. Shri Bharat Bhushan Dahiya, Technical Expert, Oxygen PMU, MoHFW, also attended the programme.

In his keynote, Dr. Biswas highlighted lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and stressed the need for robust training in oxygen stewardship and manifold services to ensure safety, quality, and rational use of medical gases in healthcare institutions.

The training included sessions by experts in hospital administration, paediatrics, neonatology, and emergency medicine, covering the planning and design of medical gas systems, regulatory frameworks, and oxygen ecosystem development. Practical skill training in adult, paediatric, and neonatal oxygen management, including ventilator support, was also conducted. A key feature was the introduction of a stewardship model advocating professional-led local oxygen management, periodic audits, and rapid response mechanisms in crisis situations.

A total of 74 participants from healthcare institutions across Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and AIIMS campuses in Bhubaneswar, Deoghar, Raipur, Patna, and Guwahati took part in the programme.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda