AGRA: Family members of 45-year-old Rama Devi are desperately trying to get an oxygen cylinder for her after a private hospital here told them to arrange it of their own amid a shortage of the life-saving gas for coronavirus patients.
Her son Ramesh Singh said he and his brothers visited every oxygen plant to get it but failed.
"We were told to arrange oxygen cylinders of our own. My brothers enquired at almost every oxygen plant but they did not get it anywhere. I too visited the plants situated in Tedi Bagia and Sikandra but all in vain," he said.
Family member of Prabha Gupta faced a similar ordeal despite making an appeal for medical oxygen at the district magistrate's Twitter handle.
Prabha Gupta was admitted to a hospital here six days ago.
"During noon, I managed to get one cylinder with the efforts of my friends but that would last till 7 pm or 7.30 pm," her son said, adding that they have also not been able to get Remdesivir, a drug used in the treatment of virus patients.
A local journalist said he too failed to arrange an oxygen cylinder for his ailing grandfather.
"I am helpless now and praying to god to help us in the medical emergency," he said.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate Prabhu N Singh told reporters that a tanker of liquid oxygen arrived at Agra's Sarojani Naidu Medical College and another will reach soon.
"Our team is trying its best to provide immediate help to the needy and overcome the shortage of medical oxygen. We also request residents to follow COVID protocols and stay at home. They must wear a mask when stepping out," he added.
The Health Department has released contact numbers of 34 private hospitals here with details about the availability of the beds and ventilators for COVID patients.
Government-run Sarojani Naidu Medical College and the District Hospital have also been declared dedicated COVID treatment facilities.
Agra so far has reported 17,163 coronavirus cases, including 223 deaths.
The district currently has 4,197 active cases.