The Odisha government has decided to procure more than 18,000 oxygen cylinders because of increasing demand for oxygen from the hospitals treating Covid-19 patients. It has also decided to increase the number of beds in hospitals by five times.
Secretary, health and family welfare, P.K. Mohapatra, who is also the additional chief secretary of the state, told The Telegraph, “Compared to the last year, the demand for oxygen has gone up. The requirement of oxygen cylinders will be 10 times more than what it was during the peak time last year. Considering this we have decided to procure more oxygen cylinders.”
On being asked about patients who died because of alleged shortage of oxygen cylinders, Mohapatra said, “Such a situation has not risen in the state in the state so far. We don’t have a shortage of oxygen. Our steel plants are producing oxygen. They have been asked to supply more oxygen cylinders. They have assured to do so.”
At present, the state produces 129.68 metric tonnes of oxygen cylinders and production of liquid medical oxygen is to the tune of 375 metric tonnes.
On the issue of increasing the number of beds, Mohapatra said, “Keeping in mind the rising graph of corona cases we are preparing ourselves to provide medical treatment to each person infected with the virus.”
The state government has asked all the district administrations to take necessary steps to ensure more beds in Covid hospitals. “Collectors have been directed to enhance the number of beds in four categories- general beds, beds with oxygen support, ICU beds and ICU beds with oxygen support and other required infrastructure. The number of ICU and High Dependency Unit beds will be enhanced as per the requirement,” said director of public health, Dr Niranjan Mishra.
According to rules, six per cent of beds in a hospital are to be treated as ICU beds. However, the rules have been modified keeping in view of the caseloads. “Patients are now provided with 25 per cent general beds and 60 percent of ICU beds,” officials maintained.
With report of 3,664 new cases, the number of Covid-19 cases in the state has gone up to 3,68,258. Besides, the death toll has reached 1,944.
On the other hand, the night curfew is being enforced strictly in urban areas across the state to ensure that the chain of infection breaks. Amid the demands for more vaccine doses, the state received another batch of 2 lakh vaccines from Pune.
