Cumilla Medical College Hospital: Acute scarcity of nitrous oxide hampers surgery

A lack of nitrous oxide supply -- needed for anesthesia during surgeries -- is putting patients at Cumilla Medical College Hospital in difficulty.

The issue has been persisting since June this year. On the 24th of that month, Spectra Oxygen Ltd -- the enlisted supplier of oxygen and nitrous oxide to the hospital -- issued a letter explaining their inability to keep up regular production and supply due to a shortage of raw materials.

Confirming the matter, Abdul Awal Sohel, junior consultant of the hospital's surgery department, said "The suppliers have informed us of the crisis. Since surgeries require anaesthetic procedures, we're facing problem right now."

A surgeon of the hospital, wishing anonymity, said, "Regular surgery schedules are being hampered due to the lack of nitrous oxide."

Another specialist doctor said, "There were times in July and August when we couldn't proceed with surgeries due to the issue. Patients suffered immensely."

As Spectra Oxygen failed to fulfil demand, the hospital authorities even tried contacting industrial gas company Linde Bangladesh Ltd for it, but still could not secure supplies, sources said.

According to hospital sources, Spectra has been supplying oxygen and nitrous oxide as an enlisted supplier for a number of years. Recently, Linde has started supplying liquid oxygen, but not nitrous oxide.

However, some doctors, wishing anonymity, have pointed fingers at the suppliers, citing their negligence as the cause of the shortage, as the hospital's surgery waiting list keeps growing.

The Daily Star has also obtained an audio clip of a phone call between a surgeon of the hospital and a distribution officer of Spectra Oxygen.

In the clip, the surgeon asks the distribution officer why there's a lack of nitrous oxide in the hospital when private hospitals in Cumilla are facing no such crisis.

The distribution officer said private hospitals have supplies as they source the gas from Linde Bangladesh Ltd.

Contacted, Spectra Oxygen Ltd Cumilla depo's distribution officer Tauhidur Rahman Sajal said, "Cumilla Medical College Hospital requires an average of 25 cylinders of nitrous oxide, each weighing 30kg."

"There was a crisis in the last few months as we could only supply 16 cylinders in June, two in July, and six in August. Hopefully, we can avert such a crisis in the coming days."

Meanwhile, this correspondent found no such crisis in private hospitals in Cumilla. He also found no such crisis in the capital, as Kazi Aminur Rahman, distribution officer of Spectra Oxygen Ltd's Dhaka depo, told The Daily Star, "There is no crisis of the gas in Dhaka city at the moment."

Contacted, hospital director Dr Mohiuddin said, "The crisis will be solved very soon. Though there was a crisis of nitrous oxide, but we are continuing emergency, casualties, and gynaecological surgery."