Bhubaneswar AIIMS Leads National Capacity-Building On Medical Oxygen Management

Bhubaneswar:8/9/25: In a pioneering step towards enhancing emergency preparedness and improving patient care, the Department of Hospital Administration, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, conducted the National Capacity Building Programme on Medical Oxygen Management – Training of Trainers (ToT).

This one-day programme, held in collaboration with the Disaster Management Cell, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Department of Hospital Administration, AIIMS New Delhi, marks the first initiative of its kind in standardising medical oxygen management across the country.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, in the presence of key dignitaries 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 Prof. Dept. of Hospital Administration, AIIMS New Delhi and Project Lead, and Dr. Jawahar S.K. Pillai, Head, Dept. of Hospital Administration, AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

V. Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary, MoHFW, addressed the gathering via video message, underlining the importance of capacity building in medical oxygen management. Bharat Bhushan Dahiya, Technical Expert, Oxygen PMU, MoHFW, also graced the occasion with his presence.

In his address, Dr. Ashutosh Biswas reflected on the critical lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and underscored the urgent need for comprehensive training in oxygen stewardship and manifold services to ensure quality, safety, and rational use of medical gases in healthcare facilities.

The training featured expert resource persons from the fields of hospital administration, paediatrics, neonatology, and trauma & emergency medicine, who guided participants through sessions on planning and design of medical gas systems, regulatory frameworks and oxygen ecosystem development.

Hands-on skill training in adult, pediatric, and neonatal oxygen management, including ventilator use.

The key highlight was the introduction of a stewardship model, advocating for professional-led local oxygen management, regular audits, and rapid response strategies in crises.

A total of 74 participants from diverse healthcare institutions—spanning Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and representatives from AIIMS Bhubaneswar, AIIMS Deoghar, AIIMS Raipur, AIIMS Patna, and AIIMS Guwahati—were nominated for this landmark training.

This first-of-its-kind programme serves as a stepping stone toward building a resilient healthcare infrastructure equipped to handle oxygen-related challenges in future medical emergencies.