STOCK MARKET LIVE BSE NSE

"No deaths due to lack of oxygen reported by states" : MoS health

NEW DELHI: The central government today informed the Rajya Sabha said that during the second wave of COVID-19 no deaths due to lack of oxygen were specifically reported by states and union territories (UTs) in the country.

Responding to a question asked by Congress MP KC Venugopal on the number of COVID-19 patients who died on roads and hospitals due to acute shortage of oxygen in the second wave, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar answered that health was a state subject and accordingly all states/UTs report cases and deaths to the Union Health Ministry on a regular basis.

In the same answer she added, "However, no deaths due to lack of oxygen has been specifically reported by states or UTs."

The junior health minister's statement further said, "But there was an unprecedented surge in demand for medical oxygen during the second wave and it peaked at nearly 9,000 MT compared to 3,095 MT in the first wave following which the Centre had to step in to facilitate equitable distribution among the states."

In the months of April and May, the hospitals across the country reported an acute shortage of oxygen and many big hospitals like Batra Hospital of Delhi had pubicly said that several patients had due to non-availability of oxygen supply. 

Several states had also reported oxygen-related deaths, in the state of Goa alone, in a span of few days towards mid-May, nearly 80 patients in the COVID-19 ward had died due to oxygen-supply related issues. 

In the first week of May, 13 COVID-19 patients died after the oxygen supply was disrupted due to poor pressure in the oxygen tank at the Chengalpattu Government hospital in Tamil Nadu.

Reporter

  • EP News Service
    EP News Service

    Crisp, and to the point news coverage from India and around the world.

    View Reporter News

Related News