Jagan calls for oxygen facility at every hospital in AP in four months' time

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government will make sure that all Covid hospitals in the state are self-sustainable in terms of oxygen supply. This will be ensured within four months.

Attractive incentives or subsidies will be offered to private hospitals for obtaining oxygen facilities, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy stated at a  review meeting on Covid19 and vaccination, held at his camp office on Friday.

The Chief Minister advised relevant officials to ensure that every single Covid-19 hospital in the state, with more than 50 beds, becomes self-sufficient in terms of oxygen within the next 4 months.

He asked officials to get scientific evidence for the Nellore Ayurvedic medicine for Covid-19, by holding tests and then be in touch with the concerned departments of the central government for its stamp of approval.

 The CM asked officials to prepare strong protocols for use of oxygen in view of the new threat from black fungus, considering the precautions to be taken in use of water and while giving oxygen support. He said oxygen supply pipes and masks should be of prescribed standards. “Set up oxygen generator plants as per bed capacity in all government hospitals,” he has said.

The Chief Minister said a 30 per cent cost could be borne by the government by way of incentive to hospitals that set up oxygen generators. “We must ensure oxygen generators are set up in all hospitals within four months.”

The government will provide a 20 per cent incentive to companies coming forward to set up new 100 metric tonne oxygen production plants.

The CM asked officials to arrange ICU beds in government hospitals for treatment of children. He said arrangements should be in place to deal with any epidemic in the future.

The officials informed the CM that a manufacturing industry is being set up in Kadapa to meet the demand for Zeolite used in the production of oxygen.

The Chief Minister advised officials to expeditiously complete global tenders for vaccine procurement and added that four crore doses of vaccine is being procured for two crore people of Andhra Pradesh. “Procure more doses of vaccine, if possible,” he said.

He said two doses of vaccine should be given to those above 45 years as a matter of first priority and later to people of age 18-45. Quality food should be provided to those in Covid hospitals and sanitation in hospitals must be ensured.

“Take stringent action against hospitals charging more than fixed prices from the patients and also against those who indulge in black marketing of Remedviser injections,” the CM told officials.

Deputy chief minister Alla Krishna Srinivas, chief secretary Adityanath Das, DGP Goutam Sawang, Covid command and control chairman Dr K.S. Jawahar Reddy, health principal secretary Anil Kumar Singhal, Covid task force committee chairman M.T. Krishna Babu, health secretary M. Ravi Chandra, 104 call center in-charge A. Babu, Arogyasri CEO Dr A. Mallikarjuna, APMSIDC VC and MD V. Vijayarama Raju, health commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar, finance secretary Gulzar and industries director Subramaniam were among the officials present.