Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy on Saturday said the Central and State governments are taking all necessary steps to provide sufficient oxygen supply to the hospitals, and vital drugs like Remdesivir with production cycles enhanced to ensure the plants work round the clock in three shifts.
“This is not the time to point fingers at each other or resort to political partisanship. We have to fight together to control the pandemic and it is not true that the BJP-ruled States are getting more medical or oxygen supplies. A committee of officials here and in Delhi decide on the supplies quantity depending on the prevailing health situation. There is no discrimination,” he claimed
He also informed that four oxygen plants for Telangana developed by DRDL will become operational from first week of May. “These include two units at Gandhi Hospital here and one each at Karimnagar and Warangal. Each unit will generate 1,000 litres of oxygen per minute, he said.
The Minister was addressing the media after visiting the Gandhi Hospital and King Koti Hospital where he interacted with the patients and healthcare personnel.
“The Indian Air Force services have been requisitioned for immediate airlift of the oxygen supply and drug enforcement authorities are cracking down on those hoarding drugs and other essential items across the country. I request the Telangana government to deal sternly with hoarders and conduct raids. The vaccine production is also being enhanced so that all the 136 crore people can be vaccinated quickly within the constraints,” he said.
Vaccines
Mr. Kishan Reddy said multinational Pfizer has been allowed to import huge quantities to sell the vaccine in the country while the Russain Sputnik being brought out by Dr Reddy’s will be made available from May. Export of indigenously-made Covaxin and Covisheild have been stopped in view of the second wave.
“Online registration process for those above 18 years of age will be opened soon and I urge every eligible person to register and await their chance for vaccination rather than crowd around the vaccination centres all at once,” he said.
The Minister was candid in admitting that the country’s healthcare systems are totally “inadequate to handle the current COVID crisis due to the high population”. However, he has appealed to people to support the available government machinery and practise self-discipline to stay safe.
