Don’t restrict supply of medical oxygen: Centre to states as daily Covid cases surge

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 11

As COVID-19 in the country cases reached 45,62,414 on Friday with a record 96,551 cases in a day, the Centre asked the states not to restrict the movement of medical oxygen needed to save critical patients.

“It has come to the knowledge of the Health Ministry that some states are trying to curb the free inter-state movement of oxygen supplies by exercising provisions under various Acts and also mandating the manufacturers and suppliers located in the state to restrict their oxygen supplies to only the hospitals of the state. In a letter written to the states and Union Territories, the Union Health Secretary has emphasised that the availability of adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen is an important pre-requisite for managing moderate and severe cases of COVID-19,” Centre said as recoveries touched 35,42,663 with 70,880 new recoveries in the past 24 hours.

The Health Secretary has urged the states and Union Territories to ensure that no restriction was imposed on the movement of medical oxygen between them. It has been strongly reinforced that it was every state’s responsibility to ensure that every hospitalised COVID patient receives oxygen.

Also read: 96,551 fresh cases take coronavirus tally beyond 45 lakh

It has been again brought to their notice that medical oxygen constitutes an Essential Public Health Commodity and any impediment in the supplies of medical oxygen in the country may critically impact the management of patients suffering from COVID-19 disease in other parts of the country. Moreover, some of the major oxygen manufacturers and suppliers already have existing supply agreements with hospitals in various states with a legal obligation to fulfil such agreements.

An adequate supply of oxygen throughout the country has enabled effective clinical care of the hospitalised moderate and severe cases, in conjunction with other measures.

“The adopted host of strategies have actively resulted in the rising recovery rate and steadily declining case fatality rate (1.67 per cent currently). As on date, less than 3.7 per cent of active patients are on oxygen support,” the Ministry said.

Meanwhile, of the 70,880 recoveries reported in the past 24 hours, Maharashtra has alone contributed more than 14,000 and Andhra Pradesh has contributed more than 10,000.

With this, the total number of recoveries has touched 35,42,663, taking the recovery rate to 77.65 per cent.

Almost 60 per cent of the new recovered cases are being reported from five states —Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

Of the new OVID-19 cases recorded in the past 24 hours, Maharashtra has more than 23,000 and Andhra Pradesh has more than 10,000.

Nearly 57 per cent of the new cases are reported from only five states. These are the same states that are also contributing 60 per cent of the new recovered cases.

The total number of active cases in the country stands at 9,43,480 as on date. Maharashtra is leading this tally with more than 2,60,000 cases followed by Karnataka with more than 1,00,000 cases.

Nearly 74 per cent of the total active cases are in nine most-affected states. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh contribute more than 48 per cent of the total active cases.