MYSURU: The government is making arrangements to increase the supply and availability of oxygen in the state and also that of remdesivir, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Thursday.Chairing a review meeting in Mysuru, Sudhakar said that he had discussed the matter of additional supply of medical oxygen with Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar and manufacturing companies.
“We might need 1,500 metric tonnes of oxygen for one month and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has written to the Centre. I have also appealed to the Union Health Minister about the requirement. As of now, there is no shortage of oxygen. But I agree there may be some lapses as we are in an unprecedented situation which will be addressed soon,” he said.
Remdesivir
Sudhakar also said that the state government had made arrangements to address the shortage of remdesivir, even as he pointed out that the World Health Organisation had taken the anti-viral drug off the list of medicines prescribed for Covid-19 treatment."As per the clinical protocol by WHO, this drug has been removed from the list. I personally feel steroids like dexamethasone (corticosteroid) might give better results," he told reporters in Mysuru.
"We have sought 1 lakh vials of the drug from the Centre. We had invited tenders for the supply of 70,000 vials of remdesivir and over 20,000 vials have come in the last two days. The rest of the vials will be delivered soon,” he said. He also warned that drug control officers would be held responsible if remdesivir is sold in the black market and directed officials to take strict action against those who try to cash in on the situation.
No oxygen shortage in Mysuru
He also denied that there was a shortage of oxygen and beds in Mysuru, and asked hospital managements to be equipped to deal with the spike.