State to get 95 O2 concentrators donated by Taiwan, Kuwait
The Centre has begun allocating to the states and Union Territories (UTS) the much-needed medical equipment India has started receiving from other countries.
In a letter sent to states and UTS on Monday, the Centre informed Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand that they have been allocated oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders and pulse oximeters.
In the first instalment, 95 oxygen concentrators have been allocated to Haryana.
Thirty-five oxygen concentrators of the 150 Taiwan has donated will reach the Haryana warehouse at Gurugram on Tuesday, top government officials said.
Haryana is yet to get the update about 60 oxygen concentrators it will receive as donation from Kuwait.
According to the Centre, Taiwan has donated 150 oxygen concentrators of which 50 have been allocated to Punjab and 35 to Haryana.
500 oxygen cylinders for Himachal
Taiwan has also donated 500 oxygen cylinders of which Himachal Pradesh has been allocated 185 and Uttarakhand 300.
Himachal Pradesh will also get an additional 282 oxygen cylinders that Kuwait has donated, the letter of from the Union health ministry said.
Haryana has also been allocated 113 pulse oximeters that will be despatched to AIIMS, Jhajjar.
Haryana government officials said that they will start allocating the medical equipment soon after receiving it as the state has been grappling with the shortage of medical oxygen amid the surge in Covid-19 cases.
Haryana seeks increase in oxygen quota
Even as the Centre has increased medical oxygen quota of Haryana to 257 MT, the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP coalition government has requested to increase this quota to 300 MT.
The oxygen quota of Haryana was increased from 162MT to 257MT last week.
Khattar has been visiting every district to review the oxygen availability status in district hospitals after patients died of short supply of oxygen in private hospitals in Rewari, Hisar and Gurugram recently.
The Haryana government has also formed teams of officers in all districts to monitor and ensure uninterrupted supply of oxygen in all hospitals, including private ones.
State health minister Anil VIJ on Tuesday directed that it will be mandatory for all hospitals with 50-bed capacity to have their own oxygen generation plant.