Value Add

'We Enjoy the Number One Position in Medical Gases Business in India'

Medical gases are critical elements in today's healthcare delivery and procedures. BOC India, a subsidiary of the Linde Group is a leader in the medical gas sector with a market share of nearly 40 per cent. Express Healthcare got an opportunity to speak to Pankaj Sabharwal, Assistant Vice-president; Healthcare, BOC India Limited, to know more about the importance of medical gases in today's healthcare sector and the initiatives of the company in this direction. Excerpts:

Pankaj Sabharwal

How important and critical are gases like medical oxygen and nitrous oxide in today's healthcare delivery and procedures.

Well, it is a good question. As we all know without Oxygen, we cannot survive. Gas systems that are used to supply oxygen, oxygen mixtures or synthetic air for medicinal or breathing purposes, require a very high level of integrity to ensure that the gas is supplied to the correct specification. As these systems are potentially used for total life support, even minor contamination of the gas could have serious consequences. Medicinal systems, in particular, require the highest level reliability of supply and purity of product as the people breathing the gas may be more vulnerable. Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide being drugs, every batch must comply with the requirements stated in IP 2007 (Indian Pharmacopoeia 2007). These have to be tested in an IP approved laboratory and certified by a competent person who has authority from the FDA/ concerned Drug Authority to certify. Only after compliance to the requirements stated in IP 2007 the batch is ready for dispatch. With the emergence of new healthcare projects specially those offering high-end technologies with state-of-the-art operation theatres and ICUs the usage of medical oxygen, N2O and Entonox is growing at a rate faster than ever before.

What kind of market share does BOC India enjoy in terms of medical gases?

We enjoy number one position in medical gases business in India. Our growth over the last three years has been more than that of the market. We will continue to focus on healthcare business and are confident of maintaining our leadership position in the future as well.

Please tell us about 'BOC Oxy-Concentrator', the home respiratory product marketed by BOC Medical. How effective is it for long-term oxygen therapy? Also tell us about 'Entonox', the product used for controlled pain relief during child birth.

To take care of home healthcare segment we offer service cylinders along with oxykit and oxygen concentrators. BOC oxykit, which comprises of preset oxygen regulator, BPC flow meter, humidifier bottle and nasal canula connected to a 10 litre water capacity oxygen cylinder mounted on a trolley for easy of use. We have mobile as well as truly portable (4.5 kgs) oxygen concentrators for home healthcare market. One can select single flow/ dual flow with variable oxygen flow rate i.e. from 0.5 - 5 LPM and 0.5 LPM - 8 LPM. For long-term therapy whether delivered by oxykit or home oxygen concentrator comparative cost analysis shows that oxygen therapy through oxygen concentrator is more economical than through a cylinder.

Entonox is a patented brand of BOC Gases. It is a homogenous gas mixture of 50:50 Oxygen & N2O. It is a gaseous analgesia which has applications is more than 27 indications. It is commonly used as pain relief agent for Painless Normal Deliveries. Entonox gas is administered through a self administrable Demand Valve apparatus that releases gas only when inhaled. Entonox is a very safe and convenient analgesia available for modern women who is opting for painless delivery.

What kinds of checks are conducted to ensure the safety and security of the delivery system of medical gases in the hospitals? How do you aim to popularise the concept of total gas delivery system management in hospitals?

• The cylinders must be painted in Standard Colour Code as per BIS 5: 2004.
• Product specific customised valves so that one product can not be used instead of that product for which it is designed.
• IP Tag with batch number, cylinder type, production date, production unit and warning portion of 'Gas Cylinder Rules 2004' must be attached with each cylinder.
• Valve guard to protect cylinder valve.
• Heat shrink seal on valves of filled cylinders.
• Before filling any cylinder in our plants we ensure purging and testing.

Globally, BOC Group is very much inclined towards Safety of its employees, customers and public. Safety is a walk of life for us. For safety and security of delivery systems, we follow all leading standards applicable and practiced in Europe/ the US. BOC Group has adopted various standards like NFPA, HTM etc for its design and installation of medical pipeline for gas delivery systems. We strictly follow Gas Cylinder Rules and Indian Pharmacopeias along with CCOE rules and regulations for safest delivery of medical gases through cylinders or Vacuum Insulated Evaporisers.

For medical gas pipeline system, we provide the best source and supply equipment (both indigenous and imported) with state-of-the-art technologies available all across the world. Successful running of various installations in many public, private and corporate Hospitals, in the long run, would speak about our success story of 'Total Gas Management System'.

To ensure the availability of its products during emergencies, the company had introduced 'Oxyline', a mobile service in select metros. Is the service still available and in which cities? How can patients avail of its facilities in case of emergencies?

Yes, Oxyline Service system is available in all major cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, etc. One can reach us on our Toll free No 18003456789 where we have skilled and trained customer care services who guide the calls helping them in getting the gas supply.