Monitoring committees being set up to check medical oxygen wastage in hospitals: Andhra Dy CM

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and state Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas has said that around 30 per cent of medical oxygen are being wasted in hospitals and monitoring committees are being set up to see avoid its wastage.

Addressing the media after a meeting of Group of Ministers (GoM) on Wednesday, he also urged hospitals to monitor the oxygen supply and its utility so that the wastage can be minimised.

Srinivas was accompanied by state agriculture minister Kurasala Kannababu.

"The GoM discussed mainly about oxygen supply, Remdesivir injections, oxygen beds, home isolation, recruitment of doctors and other paramedical staff issues in the meeting," the Deputy CM said.

"The meeting discussed the measures to be taken for free supply of oxygen, so that incidents like Tirupati's Ruia hospital mishap will not recur. Yesterday, Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy ordered the district collectors to the same effect," Srinivas further said.

He said that number of cases are almost double in the second wave of COVID-19 than that of in the first wave and added that there were almost 15,000 oxygen beds available during the first wave but hardly half of them were used.

"Now, there are 27,500 oxygen beds available. 10,000 more oxygen beds are being made available in all districts," Srinivas said.

Slamming the Opposition for doing politics over the vaccination, he said, they spreading lies and creating panic among the public and accused TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu of acting irresponsibly, making sweeping statements and making false complaints.

"They are speaking as if we are not purchasing vaccine intentionally. It is not true. The companies are allocating vaccine to states as per the direction of central government. The center informed the same in the affidavit to the Supreme Court," Srinivas further told media.

"The Chief Minister has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that we are ready to pay Rs 1,600 crores for vaccine right now. But the companies say there is no chance other than following the central government allocation procedure," he claimed.

Speaking on the Ruia hospital incident, he informed that primary report has already come. Based on that, ex-gratia amount has been announced and Chittoor district collector will submit full report soon.

Agriculture Minister Kannababu said many unscientific messages are being circulated over social media and requested public not to believe them and to go with proper medical advise only.

Despite all odds and COVID crisis, first installment of PM Kisan Rytu Bharosa scheme funds will be disbursed tomorrow where Rs 3,900 crores will be distributed to 52.38 lakh beneficiaries.

At present, Andhra Pradesh has a total of 1,95,102 active coronavirus cases.

( With inputs from ANI )