Jamaica's sole supplier of medical oxygen, IGL, and the Ministry of Health are at odds regarding whether there was adequate planning for the supply of the life saving gas ahead of the third wave of COVID-19.
This follows last weekend's scare when all public hospitals reported dangerously low levels of oxygen, with some running out of the life-saving gas.
IGL's Managing Director Peter Graham says the company received no response to repeated requests to the authorities for a forecast of oxygen requirements.
The Ministry of Health has rejected this assertion.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mr. Graham said IGL collaborated with the authorities to ensure the best possible care for all patients requiring medical oxygen, including non COVID-19 patients.
Mr. Graham says this resulted in effective and efficient management of medical oxygen over several months.
The Ministry of Health has countered, pointing out it held discussions with IGL from May on its capacity to supply hospitals with oxygen for at least a month, similar to the previous peak in March.
The ministry says based on its projections for an increase in cases and hopsitalisations, IGL indicated that it could expand its supply by 30 per cent.
The ministry noted that its estimation of use has still 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.
It says the issue that affected supply last weekend was based on the break in the supply chain due to the declaration of force majeure by source companies and the need for IGL to find, in a relatively short period of time, a secondary supplier.
IGL says, as positive cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Jamaica, there will be need for even more supplies of medical oxygen.
Mr. Graham is recommending allowing the National Health Fund to source the gas, as it has done with vaccines.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced on Wednesday that the government is working out arrangements for Trinidad and Tobago to supply Jamaica with medical oxygen.
IGL, in the meantime, has also raised concern about a lack of contracts with three of the four regional health authorities for the supply of oxygen.
Mr. Graham says despite years of effort, IGL has been unsuccessful in getting the contracts.
In response, the Ministry of Health says, through the regional health authorities, it is now in the process of renegotiating current terms and conditions of contracts.
Additionally, the ministry has directed the regional health authorities to ensure there is diversification in the supply mix of oxygen to mitigate the risks associated with a single supplier and single method of oxygen supply.
The infrastructure within hospitals for piped oxygen and bulk facilities is also being expanded.
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