There would be no shortage of oxygen, beds or medicines for the treatment of Covid-19 patients in the State, said Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra on Friday.
However, he urged people with mild symptoms to remain in home isolation and allow the beds in the hospital to be used by critically ill patients. He said in emergency the patients can contact the concerned agencies and there are enough ambulances to pick up and hospitalise them. Mohapatra said, “There are 8,463 general beds in the State of which 3,791 are occupied by patients. Of the 2,063 ICU/HDU beds, 1,426, meaning 69%, are occupied. Besides, of the total 701 ventilators, 270 (38%) are occupied.
Efforts are also on to add more beds to cater to the rising number of patients.” Allaying fears of oxygen shortage, he said the daily oxygen consumption is 45 MT in the State.
Directives have been issued to ensure that no oxygen cylinder remains empty in any hospital. Modalities have also been fixed to fill cylinder from the nearest filler every day. “Apart from fulfilling the demand of our State, we are also supplying oxygen to nearly seven States by making a green corridor. When the demand will surge in our State, we will certainly meet our demand first,” he said.
About media reports regarding shortage of Remdesivir injection, Mohapatra said, “Odisha has sufficient stock of Remdesivir. Our daily consumption is 1,200 injections, but we have a stock of 43,000.
By tomorrow, 21,000 more Remdesivir injections will arrive. The reports regarding shortage of the injections are from private hospitals.” Speaking about the phase-3 vaccination, he said the State has 1.93 crore people in the 18-44 age group who would get Covid-19 vaccine shots free of cost. “We have placed orders with the two concerned companies but are not sure as to when the vaccines will arrive. We have already given Rs 700 crore to the State Medical Corporation for procurement of the vaccines.”
“Once the vaccines reach us, the programme will begin and the 18-44-age group would get the jabs.
However, those who have got the first jab would be given priority.” Presently, the Covid situation is in control in the State, but even health experts are not able to predict how the future would unfold, Mohapatra observed.