Health ministry scolds IGL, moves to diversify oxygen supply
The Ministry of Health and Wellness yesterday denied that it had neglected to provide supply forecasts to medical oxygen supplier IGL and said it has revised its policy directive to ensure diversification in sourcing the life-saving product.
The policy directive also instructs the “regional health authorities to mitigate the risks associated with a single supplier and single method of oxygen supply to the country’s health facility”.
The ministry said it was rejecting IGL’s claim that the health authorities neglected, for months, to provide forecasts of the island’s need for medical oxygen despite repeated requests.
Giving what it said was “context and clarity” to the controversy over the supply of oxygen which had fallen extremely low, leaving hospitals struggling to care for critically ill COVID-19 patients, the ministry said that on May 30, 2021, after reviewing the situation, including the reproductive number, it had projected that a third wave could result in over 10,000 cases confirmed in the peak weak, over 180 deaths in the week following the peak, and that over 1,000 beds would be required in hospitals for COVID-19 management.
The ministry added that at that time of the estimations it consulted with IGL “and it was discussed that at the last peak in March just over 300,000 cubicmeters of oxygen was utilised in the public health system for the one-month period. In that conversation the company indicated that based on its contingency plans, that had now put in place the ability to supply just over 400,000 cubic meters for a similar period if the country went into a third surge”.
According to the ministry, the estimation, based on IGL supply, was that the country would be able to provide oxygen up to a possible 30 per cent more than last peak. “Thirty per cent above peak demand would be approximately 1,000 beds occupied for COVID-19. This level was also consistent with the ministry’s internal capacity for staffing to support beds assigned to the clinical management of persons affected by SARS-CoV-2,” the ministry said.
It added that at and above the 1,000 beds occupied level its contingency plan required that hospitals be placed in emergency mode, which included the reduction in use of public hospitals islandwide through the restriction in conducting emergency care services and the suspension of elective surgeries. The plan also required that health facilities would begin discharging patients who can receive home care.
“At this level as well, more wards would be converted to care of COVID-19 patients. These actions are to mitigate the overwhelming of the health system as well as to manage the use of oxygen to below the capacity levels indicated by IGL,” the ministry said.
“On Wednesday, August 25, 2021, IGL informed the Government that based on its plan and due to the increased demand IGL has been importing liquid oxygen to supplement its capacity in country. The company also advised that one of its major suppliers of oxygen out of the United States had declared force majeure at short notice and would not be able to provide its projected shipment of oxygen. This was due, in the main, to the increased demand in its source market and this reduced IGL’s capacity to supply the agreed volume of oxygen,” the ministry said.
It said its estimation of use has not surpassed the capacity for oxygen as projected and based on IGL’s own assessment of its capacity to meet the demands of a third wave. “The issue that affected supply, therefore, was based on the break in the supply chain due to the declaration of force majeure and need for IGL to find, in relative short period of time, a secondary supplier,” the ministry said.
Yesterday afternoon, IGL confirmed that information and stated that it continues to work collaboratively with the ministry to ensure that Jamaica’s medical facilities are supplied with medical oxygen to treat patients requiring the product, especially those hospitalised as a result of COVID-19.
“The partnership includes the sourcing and delivery to Jamaica of medical oxygen from a range of sources, including supplies from the local oxygen-producing plant, as well as the leveraging of IGL and Government relationships to keep the hospitals serviced,” the company said.
It also said another shipment of medical oxygen was scheduled to arrive yesterday afternoon IGL but the company “remains concerned about the rapid growth in demand for medical oxygen”.
“Even with the best efforts of all concerned, regularity of imports remains a risk, given global supply chain disruptions,” IGL said.