Karnataka is among the many high 5 states with highest day by day Covid numbers and deaths. (Representational)
Bengaluru:
Karnataka is among the many seven states which were informed by the Central authorities to verify there’s sufficient oxygen for COVID-19 sufferers. Whereas some non-public hospitals have flagged a scarcity of oxygen provide, the BS Yediyurappa-led state authorities maintains there isn’t any scarcity and that it has informed suppliers to extend manufacturing, amongst others measures adopted to conform Sunday’s directive.
“The demand has in fact gone up, however as of now there isn’t any problem. Some scarcity was confronted by a hospital or two, however we acted instantly. We’re diverting and utilizing industrial oxygen additionally. We’re additionally sourcing from different states together with Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat,” Medical Schooling Minister Dr Okay Sudhakar informed NDTV.
Dr HM Prasanna, President of Personal Hospitals and Nursing Properties Affiliation, nevertheless says some hospitals are struggling to get refills of oxygen cylinders.
“Solely massive non-public hospitals in Bengaluru have sufficient oxygen; small and medium non-public hospitals have been going through points getting refills. In Bengaluru districts headquarter, each non-public and authorities hospitals are going through challenges in offering oxygen to sufferers,” Dr Prasanna informed NDTV.
He provides that even when oxygen provide was adequate, the government-capped value of therapy for coronavirus is just too low to stay viable as the value of oxygen cylinders has risen steeply.
“Most sufferers want excessive oxygen stream now. Within the pre-Covid days, sufferers wanted often lower than 10 litres of oxygen per minute – with the routine being Four litres per minute. Now, they want 15 litres and extra per minute. Critically in poor health sufferers must be given as a lot as 40 litres per minute,” Dr Prasanna says.
If in pre-Covid instances, the price was Rs 18 to Rs 20 per cubic litre, it has now nearly doubled. Dr Prasanna mentioned that main distributors have elevated their prices by 40%, and added that although hospitals had turned to new suppliers, they too have been asking for as a lot as Rs 40 per cylinder.
“For personal sufferers, the federal government has mentioned we will cost Rs10,000 per mattress with oxygen provide and as much as Rs 12,600 whether it is high-flow. For presidency-referred sufferers, the state will reimburse Rs 5,000 per mattress and Rs 7,000 for high-flow sufferers. However these charges have been mounted based mostly on pre-Covid oxygen costs. The cap needs to be elevated now based mostly on the costs right now,” he informed NDTV, including that he hopes the federal government may even cap oxygen costs.
Karnataka – among the many high 5 states relating to the day by day COVID-19 numbers and deaths – added 9,894 new coronavirus instances within the final 24 hours taking its tally to 4.59 lakh; general instances in capital Bengaluru crossed 1.7 lakh, the Well being Ministry information exhibits.
