No shortage of Oxygen in Telangana, says Etela Rajendar

HYDERABAD: Telangana government is taking every possible step to control Covid-19, including ensuring adequate supplies of medical oxygen to hospitals. Steps have been also been initiated to add more beds, equipped with oxygen, at various hospitals, health minister Etela Rajendar said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, the minister maintained that there is no oxygen shortage in Hyderabad city. Supplies are also being made to hospitals in the districts. “We need around 270 tonnes of oxygen a day. Arrangements have been made to ensure arrival of around 400 tonnes of oxygen,” he said; referring to empty tankers airlifted to Odisha returning to the state by road with their oxygen loads.

Rajendar said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s advice well in advance in terms of augmenting oxygen supplies, ensuring additional beds and other facilities have helped the state in dealing with Covid-19. He disclosed that the state will get five oxygen concentrators from PM Cares funds, even as Covid-19 services will begin at the ESI Hospital in Nacharam from Wednesday.

The health minister said in all, Telangana has 10,000 oxygen beds currently. The state is all set to add 400 more such beds at Gandhi Hospital, the only hospital in the country with 600 ICU beds.

He took serious objections to private hospitals not handing over bodies of dead till families pay all the bills. Calling them as inhuman acts, he asked private hospitals to exhibit a sense of humanity. At the same time, he warned that the government will crack down on any private hospital overcharging patients and putting patients into difficult situations.

 

Oxygen beds to be added:

TIMS, Gachibowli – 300

MGM, Warangal – 300

NIMS, Hyderabad – 200

MCH, Suryapet – 200

Government Hospital, Nalgonda - 200