Karnataka needs 1,471 tonnes of oxygen immediately: B S Yediyurappa tells Modi

Several healthcare facilities in Karnataka will face closure if the shortage of oxygen is not addressed, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, making it clear that the Covid-19 situation was still grim.

During his video conference with Modi, Yediyurappa asked the Centre to give Karnataka 1,471 tonnes of oxygen for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

“The usage of oxygen is going up day by day. Yesterday alone the state used up 500 tonnes of oxygen,” Yediyurappa said, according to a statement from his office. “The Centre has supplied only 300 tonnes to the state. If the same situation continues, then several healthcare facilities will have to be closed,” he said.

Also read: Pandemic situation in Karnataka uncontrollable, says Yediyurappa

Explaining the state’s oxygen requirement, Yediyurappa said Karnataka will need 1,142 tonnes after April 25 and this would go up to 1,471 tonnes after April 30. He urged PM Modi to “immediately supply” oxygen and plug the shortage.

Yediyurappa also pointed out that the state’s positivity rate had risen to 16%. “Bengaluru city is the worst-affected with high cases being reported from Tumakuru, Ballari, Mysuru, Hassan and Kalaburagi districts,” he said.

Karnataka has decided to order one crore doses of the Covishield vaccine at a cost of Rs 400 crore in the first phase. “The progress of our vaccination programme is good and 82 lakh people have inoculated thus far,” Yediyurappa said.

Karnataka urged the Centre to ensure that states are treated equally while distributing the vaccines.

Also read: PM asks states to set up high-level coordination panel to transport oxygen to hospitals

According to Yediyurappa, infrastructure at government hospitals was alright now. “Steps were taken to develop infrastructure in the last six months,” he said. “We’re also getting private hospitals to give the government 50% of their beds.”

Yediyurappa told the video conference that the state government had permitted private hospitals to tie up with nearby hotels to start ‘step-down’ hospitals. “We are also thinking of starting field hospitals that have ICU facilities,” he added.

On Remdesivir, Yediyurappa said Karnataka needed two lakh doses for the next ten days, and asked PM Modi for them to be supplied to the state.