With the deadly second wave of the coronavirus pandemic raging across the nation, Himachal Pradesh’s fatality rate has surpassed the national average even as shortage of oxygen cylinders continues to plague the state government.
The hill state’s Covid fatality rate has increased to 1.5% against the national average of 1.1%. So far, 1,647 people in the state have died due to complications caused by the virus. Of the total fatalities, 1,057 (64.1%) were male and 590 (35.9%) female. As many as 1,062 victims (64.5%) had comorbidities — 50% (532) had diabetes mellitus, 44.8% (476) had hypertension, 10.7%(113) had chronic kidney disease, 8% (87) had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — while 585 (35.5%) of the Covid victims were non comorbid. The mean age of deceased people was 63.2%.
The state’s recovery rate is also low as compared to the national and global average. At 78.1%, Himachal’s recovery rate is below the national average of 81.9% and global average of 85.4%.
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday convened a meeting with the Opposition to discuss the Covid situation in the state. At present, the state is facing a shortage of empty oxygen cylinders and has a limited stock of Remdesivir. Around 2,000 Remdesivir injections are available at the health headquarters in Shimla while only 750 are in stock in different hospitals.
{{/usCountry}}Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday convened a meeting with the Opposition to discuss the Covid situation in the state. At present, the state is facing a shortage of empty oxygen cylinders and has a limited stock of Remdesivir. Around 2,000 Remdesivir injections are available at the health headquarters in Shimla while only 750 are in stock in different hospitals.
{{/usCountry}}All-party meeting
The meeting was attended by leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, senior Congress leader Asha Kumari , Vidhan Sabha speaker Vipin Singh Parmar and lone Communist Party of India legislator Rakesh Singha. Thakur apprised the opposition of all the steps being taken by the government but admitted the government is yet to receive the oxygen cylinders it had demanded from the Centre.
“The state’s current oxygen production capacity is 53 MT, which includes 15 MT state quota from INOX, Solan. Himachal has urged the Union government to increase the state quota to 30 MT,” said Thakur.
At present, oxygen cylinders can be replenished at nine places while Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation Plants have been commissioned at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Shimla; zonal hospital, Dharamshala and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Ner Chowk, the CM said, adding that an additional six oxygen plants will come up at the civil hospital, Palampur, zonal hospital, Mandi, civil hospitals in Rohru and Khaneri in Shimla district, Dr YS Parmar Government Medical College, Nahan and regional hospital, Solan.
Limited stock of Remdesivir: Oppn
“We questioned the government over the availability of Remdesivir injections in the state, the stock is very limited,” senior Congress legislator Asha Kumari, said adding that oxygen from Chamba had to be brought to Mandi for refilling, which was a nine-hour one-way commute.
Agnihotri expressed concern over the sharp spike in Covid cases, fatalities and the delay in getting Covid test reports. “People in Shimla are not getting their reports for five to six days. By the time report arrives, the patients’ condition worsens or he transmits the virus,” he said.
Senior Congress leader Col (Dr) Dhani Ram Shandil highlighted the need to deploy additional ambulances for transportation of Covid patients. Singha said all critically ill Covid patients should be shifted from home isolation to hospitals and asked the state to augment beds at Tanda Medical College.
In the all-party meeting, it was decided that all legislators will donate a month’s salary of towards the chief minister’s Covid fund.