The second wave of Covid-19 is five times the previous peak in Rajasthan and UP, 4.5 times in Chhattisgarh and 3.3 times in Delhi while Karnataka, Kerala, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Odisha are not only reporting higher peaks but also high Covid-19 case growth trajectory,” the Union Health Ministry on Friday sought to blame the rising cases for putting strain on the country’s health infrastructure.
“As the rate of rise of the infection has been rapid in the second wave of the pandemic there has been an immense strain on the health infrastructure… treat the oxygen as a critical commodity,” said the Government which is facing flak for poor handling of the crisis amidst shortage of drugs, manpower and particularly oxygen which is leaving patients gasping for breath .
“The doubling of Covid-19 cases has also been rapid, which should ease if the turnover time reduces,” Joint Secretary (Health) Lav Agarwal said even as he asked the states to treat the available oxygen as a critical commodity and undertake an oxygen-consumption audit at all hospitals, including private ones, amid a shortage of the life-saving gas in several parts of the country.
From the start of the pandemic, the Government had identified oxygen-supported beds as major clinical interventions, Agrawal said at a press conference here even as he enlisted various measures taken bu the Government to boost oxygen supply.
The Government had procured 1,02,400 oxygen cylinders at the national level in April-May 2020 and distributed those among the states while the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has issued instructions for fixing the price of liquid medical oxygen.
Agrawal said 162 pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants of 154-MT capacity each have been sanctioned across the country. Of these, 52 plants are already installed, 87 have been delivered and work to commission these plants at the earliest is on.The PSA plants can enable hospitals for in-situ generation of oxygen.
Agrawal said the states have been allotted 8,593 MT of oxygen. “An order for 1,27,000 oxygen cylinders was placed on April 21 and the deliveries are expected to start in a couple of days. These include 54,000 jumbo cylinders (D type) and 73,000 regular cylinders (B type).”Additionally, 551 PSA plants have been sanctioned to be implemented by the Union health ministry. These plants will be installed in different public health facilities,” he added.
The States have been advised to ensure a rational use of oxygen, prohibit abnormal use by monitoring non-closure of valve during no-use, stop unnecessary oxygen administration to patients who may not require it clinically and for monitoring private health facilities that indulge in pushing oxygen cylinders as part of home-based Covid care packages, Agrawal said.
The Ministry also said that Covid-19 suspected ward should be created in hospitals and all those patients who have symptoms but do not have test results should also be admitted to hospitals.
“Most deaths being reported by Maharashtra, Delhi... The second wave trends have been similar, the world over... We need to focus on vaccination,” the Ministry said.
On the import of oxygen, the union health ministry said, “So far orders for 200 MT oxygen has been placed on SSB Cryogenic Singapore, 1,800 MT on Gulf Industrial Gases, Abu Dhabhi, and 1,500 MT on Ultra Pure Gases being sourced from abroad”.