Oxygen crunch at COVID-19 hospitals in Hyderabad to end soon

Eatala said that oxygen cylinders will be replaced with liquid oxygen tanks at major government hospitals and every patient will get oxygen mask.
Telangana Health Minister Eatela Rajender visited TIMS hospital and interacting with COVID-19 patients at Gachibowli in Hyderabad. (Photo| EPS)
Telangana Health Minister Eatela Rajender visited TIMS hospital and interacting with COVID-19 patients at Gachibowli in Hyderabad. (Photo| EPS)

HYDERABAD: Health Minister Eatala Rajender said on Sunday oxygen cylinders would be replaced with liquid oxygen tanks at all major hospitals such as TIMS, King Koti, Chest Hospital and SD Eye Hospital. This would avoid any shortfall of oxygen cylinders, he said.

The Minister visited the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS), Gachibowli, and inspected the facilities being provided to COVID-19 patients. The Minister enquired about the availability of oxygen supply and life-saving drugs at the TIMS pharmacy.

Acknowledging the issues of lack of oxygen supply across Telangana, Eatala said if there are 1,000 beds in a hospital, the State government would make at least 1,000 oxygen masks available so that every patient gets oxygen if they need it.

According to the Director of TIMS, Dr Vimala Thomas, and other senior health officials, including Director of Medical Education Dr K Ramesh Reddy, there is sufficient stock of COVID-19 drugs such as Remdesivir and Dexamethasone at the TIMS pharmacy. Eatala visited the pharmacy to check the availability of COVID-19 drugs.

In addition to this, he asked people to not spend money unnecessarily by getting admitted in private hospitals, as all government hospitals are equipped with the latest drugs and infrastructure. "COVID treatment, including Remdesivir injections and oxygen, should not cost beyond Rs 10,000. But private hospitals are charging over Rs 1 lakh a day and people should avoid these facilities," he said.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com