New Delhi (11.05.2021): Indianmanadarins has learned that the Supreme Court-mandated 12-member National Task Force of top medical experts held its first meeting on Sunday to formulate a methodology for allocation of oxygen to states and union territories. 

The meeting, in accordance with the direction of the SC, was convened by the Cabinet Secretary (in his absence, any officer of not less than an additional secretary nominated by the Cabinet Secretary has to convene the meeting according to the SC direction).

It is learned the task force recommended the additional measures required to smoothen the supply side problem of oxygen, augmenting production capacity, and economizing the use of oxygen in hospitals and elsewhere.

The meeting, among others, was attended by union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, union secretary (MoRTH) Giridhar Aramane, NITI Aayog member Dr. V K Paul, AIIMS director Dr. Randeep Guleria, ICMR chief Dr. Balram Bhargava and Dr. Sunil Kumar DGHS, Union health ministry as special invitees.

The members of the task force are: Dr Bhabatosh Biswas, former Vice-Chancellor, West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata; Dr Devender Singh Rana, Chairperson, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi; Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairperson and Executive Director, Narayana Healthcare, Bengaluru; Dr Gagandeep Kang, Professor, Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, Tamil Nadu; Dr J V Peter, Director, CMC; Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairperson and Managing Director, Medanta Hospital and Heart Institute, Gurugram, Dr Rahul Pandit, Director, Critical Care Medicine and ICU, Fortis Hospital, Mulund and Kalyan (Maharashtra); Dr Saumitra Rawat, Chairman & Head, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplant, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital; Dr Shiv Kumar Sarin, Senior Professor and Head of Department of Hepatology, and Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), Delhi; and Dr Zarir F Udwadia, Consultant Chest Physician, Hinduja Hospital, Breach Candy Hospital and Parsee General Hospital, Mumbai.

The SC has also mandated the National Task Force to constitute sub-groups/committees of each state/UT for auditing and will comprise of an officer of the state/UT government, not below the rank of secretary to the state government, an officer of the Centre not below the rank of additional/joint secretary and two medical doctors in the state/UT concerned including at least one with administrative experience of managing the medical facilities of a hospital and a representative from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).

Directing the Task Force to submit its report to the Court from time to time, it clarified that the purpose of the audit was not to scrutinize the decisions made in good faith by doctors while treating their patients but to ensure accountability in respect of the supplies of oxygen provided to every state/UT.