With daily new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) seeing a record high every day, the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) on Thursday said a meeting of Empowered Group 2 (EG2) ministers was held earlier in the day to review the availability of essential medical equipment and oxygen during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. During the meeting, the health ministry said, three key decisions were taken.
Also Read | Maharashtra records over 60,000 fresh Covid-19 cases, 349 deaths in 24 hours
The first decision, it said, was on the mapping of medical oxygen sources for 12 “high burden states.” These are Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. To give clarity and assurance to the states on oxygen supply over the next few weeks of rise in cases, a joint mapping exercise was held, it further said. The exercise, as per the health ministry, included, officials from the ministry, the Union steel ministry the critically affected states, among others.
Accordingly, 4,880 metric tonnes (MT), 5,619 MT and 6,593 MT of medical oxygen have been indicated to the 12 states to meet their projected demands as on April 20, 25 and 30, it was further noted.
{{/usCountry}}Accordingly, 4,880 metric tonnes (MT), 5,619 MT and 6,593 MT of medical oxygen have been indicated to the 12 states to meet their projected demands as on April 20, 25 and 30, it was further noted.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Delhi reports 16,699 new Covid-19 cases, 112 deaths in last 24 hours, active caseload tops 54,000
The second decision was on Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants, the MoHFW said, adding that these manufacture oxygen and help hospitals become self-sufficient in their requirement of medical oxygen. It said that 162 such plants, which were sanctioned under PM-Cares, have been identified for the early completion of 100% of plants to enhance self-generation of oxygen in hospitals in remote areas. Total 100 more hospitals will also be identified for the consideration of sanction for the installation of PSA plants.
Also Read | Billionaire Mukesh Ambani sends oxygen from his refineries to aid India’s Covid-19 fight
A tender for import of 50,000 MT of medical oxygen will be floated in the view of increasing demand, the ministry said on the third and final decision.
India is currently gripped by a deadly second wave of the pandemic, recording more daily cases than during even the first wave last year. While there have been more than 100,000 fresh infections per day in the last few days, more than 200,000 cases were detected in the last 24 hours, making it the country’s highest single-day rise since the beginning of the pandemic. Also, for a second straight day, more than 1,000 related deaths were also recorded.