Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meeting on Friday to review the augmentation and availability of medical oxygen across the country, government sources said.

With many places complaining of oxygen shortage in hospitals during the peak of the second Covid-19 wave in April-May, the Union government has been taking measures in coordination with states to boost its production and supply.

Modi has been holding a number of meetings in this regard amid apprehensions of a third wave of the pandemic.

In his last such session in June, the prime minister expressed satisfaction at the vaccination speed in the country and said it is important to carry this momentum forward and also underlined a need to involve NGOs and other organisations in efforts to expand the drive.

Modi also directed officials to work with states to ensure that the pace of testing does not go down as testing remains a very important weapon to track and contain rising infections in any region

Modi underlined the need to involve NGOs and other organisations in the vaccination drive, with officials stating that they are in touch with state governments to explore and implement innovative methods to reach people for vaccination, the PMO said.