Puvvada’s initiative ensures enough oxygen to hospitals in Khammam

The first oxygen tanker which arrived here on Thursday was inaugurated at the Government District Hospital by Ajay Kumar

Khammam: The shortage of medical oxygen has troubled almost all the health facilities, both private and public in the State during this covid second wave.

With the situation turning worse following the demand for medical oxygen going up in Khammam, Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar took the initiative and persuaded the ITC Limited’s Paperboards unit at Sarapaka near Bhadrachalam in Kothagudem district to supply oxygen.

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Consequently, ITC agreed to supply five metric tonnes of oxygen to hospitals in Khammam every day from Sarapaka and the minister arranged a tanker dedicated specifically for the transport of medical oxygen to Khammam.

The first oxygen tanker which arrived here on Thursday was inaugurated at the Government District Hospital by Ajay Kumar in the presence of ZP Chairman, L Kamalraj, District Collector, RV Karnan and Commissioner of Police, Vishnu S Warrier.

Speaking on the occasion he said five metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen would be supplied every day to both public and private hospitals in Khammam to treat covid patients and now there was no need to worry about supply of oxygen to the district.

It might be noted that the people from across Khammam, Kothagudem, Mahabubabad and Suryapet districts as well as residents of various districts of neighboring Andhra Pradesh come to Khammam regularly to seek medical services.

Usually liquid oxygen was supplied to Khammam from Hyderabad. Procuring oxygen from ITC would reduce the travel time and supply costs. In addition to that oxygen supplied to Khammam could be diverted to other districts, informed the health officials.

According to the officials Government Hospital in Khammam has 320 covid beds, hundreds of oxygen beds, 80 ICU beds while about 1300 covid beds were available in private hospitals. And all the patients at those hospitals would benefitted from Ajay Kumar’s initiative.

Government hospitals well equipped: Minister

Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar has directed health officials to give priority for treatment of Covid-19 patients at government hospitals in the district.

He chaired a high-powered committee meeting here on Thursday and enquired about the availability of medical oxygen, beds, medicines and the progress of ongoing door-to-door fever survey.

Ajay Kumar noted that all measures were taken to supply the required quantity of oxygen to hospitals and serious action would be taken against those creating artificial shortage of oxygen.

He also wanted the police, Task Force, medical and health and drug control officials to regularly monitor availability and usage of Remdesivir injection at empanelled private hospitals. Stringent action has to be taken against those black marketing the injection.

The Minister wanted the private hospitals to display the price list of medical services for treating covid patients at their hospitals. Action would be taken against the hospital’s management if they were found collecting exorbitant fees from patients, he warned.

Ajay Kumar appealed to the people to follow lockdown guidelines as the lockdown was imposed to protect the lives of the people in the State. Cases would be booked against those who were coming out without a valid reason.

District Collector RV Karnan, Commissioner of Police, Vishnu S Warrier, Additional Collectors, Snehalatha Mogili and N Madhusudhan, Municipal Commissioner, Anurag Jayathi, DM&HO, Dr. B Malathi and others were present.

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