India, the world's second most-affected nation by Covid-19, has been grappling with an acute shortage of medical oxygen, crucial in the treatment of coronavirus patients, for a while now.
Maharashtra and Delhi, the two worst-hit spots, have already alerted the Centre on the shortage of beds, oxygen, medicines like Remdesivir and Covid-19 vaccines.
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba convened a meeting of chief secretaries and senior officials of 10 states -- Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka -- and Delhi on Monday to discuss the issue of medical oxygen shortage.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Kejriwal requested immediate supply of oxygen along with reserving at least 7,000 central government hospital beds out of the 10,000 beds in Delhi for Covid patients.
“The Covid situation has become very serious in Delhi. There is huge shortage of beds and oxygen,” he said in the letter.
At least six Covid-19 patients died in the ICU of a government hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol last week allegedly due to low pressure in the medical oxygen supply, according to a hospital official. The district administration, however, denied that these deaths were caused due to the "shortage of oxygen". Similar reports were emerging from Maharashtra as well but were later refuted by the state government.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also appealed to the centre for more oxygen and coronavirus medicines like remdesivir.
To meet the demand, the Centre on Sunday banned the supply of oxygen for industrial purposes except in nine specified areas and expedited installation of 162 PSA plants in health facilities across the country which will augment medical oxygen capacity by 154.19 MT, said Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.
The pressure swing adsorption plants (PSA) manufacture oxygen and help hospitals become self-sufficient in their requirement for medical oxygen, while also reducing the burden on the national grid for its supply of medical oxygen.
The ministry had also decided to float a tender for the import of 50,000 MT of medical oxygen.
Railways, industries swinging into action
The Railways on Sunday said that it will run 'Oxygen Express' trains over the next few days to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra governments had approached the Railways Ministry to explore whether liquid medical oxygen tankers could be moved by the rail network.
"Since the first empty tankers will move on April 19, we hope to begin operations of Oxygen Express over the next few days. We would be able to send oxygen wherever there is such demand. A green corridor is being created for fast movement of Oxygen Express trains," an official said.
The country's largest steel-maker SAIL, Tata Steel and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AMNS India) said they were supplying oxygen to hospitals.
SAIL said it has supplied over 33,300 tonne of LMO (liguid medical oxygen) for the treatment of coronavirus-affected patients.
Tata Steel on Sunday announced it is supplying up to 300 tonnes of medical oxygen on a daily basis to various state governments and hospitals.
Jindal Steel and Power Limited also said it is supplying 50-100 tonne oxygen daily from its facilities at Angul (Odisha) and Raigarh (Chhattisgarh).
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AMNS India) said it is supplying 200 tonnes of medical oxygen per day to health facilities in Gujarat.
According to the steel ministry, 28 oxygen plants located in the steel facility of both public and private sectors are supplying about 1,500 tonnes of medical oxygen every day.
Also, an additional stock of 30,000 MT, including the safety stock, is being made available for medical use.
(With inputs from PTI)
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