‘Steps taken to ramp up oxygen storage capacity’

Monitoring cells will be set up to prevent wastage, disruption: Alla

Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Health Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas has said that steps have been taken to increase the oxygen storage capacity from the existing 517 tonnes to 600 tonnes to ensure its timely supply to the hospitals.

Monitoring cells were being set up in all the hospitals to prevent wastage of oxygen and disruptions in its supply, which had caused the death of many COVID-19 patients so far in the State, Mr. Srinivas told the media after a meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on COVID-19 organised at the APIIC headquarters at Mangalagiri on Wednesday.

The District Collectors had been instructed to get the condition of oxygen pipelines checked from time to time to avert leakages.

Mr. Srinivas pointed out that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had requested the Central government to despatch 910 tonnes of oxygen to meet the growing demand for it.

“Of the 49 new oxygen plants for which clearance has been given a few days ago, some have already started production,” he said.

“The government is trying its best to administer vaccine to the people free of cost. We stood as a model for other States by distributing 60 lakh vaccines in a single day,” the Minister claimed.

Mr. Srinivas said due priority was being given to prevent black marketing of Remdesivir injections. A task force had been set up for the purpose. Kits needed by COVID-19 patients in home isolation were being supplied as per guidelines, and the number of beds was being increased as the pandemic continued to spread, he added.

Agriculture Minister K. Kanna Babu said ambulances bound for Telangana were not being stopped at the borders, and over 15,000 beds were provided at the COIVD Care Centres.

He cautioned people against believing in rumours that COIVD-19 could be prevented by applying cow dung or by putting onion juice in the nose. “The ideal course of action is to consult doctors to ascertain whether a particular symptom is that of COVID-19,” he added.

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