Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], July 21 (ANI): Terming Chhattisgarh as an “oxygen-surplus state”, Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo on Tuesday said that no deaths were reported in the state due to oxygen shortage during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to ANI here on Tuesday, Deo said, “It is true that no patient died due to the lack of oxygen in Chhattisgarh. Our state is an oxygen-surplus state. There could have been some issues regarding management, otherwise, there is no death due to lack of oxygen.”
He further accused the Centre of taking credit for all goods things and blaming the states for all bad things.
“At least they (Central government) admitted that health is a state subject. Otherwise, it appeared as if they are taking everything under their control. They take credit for all goods things and blame states for everything that is bad,” said Deo.
Stating that he had come across the issue of oxygen shortage in some hospitals of Delhi and other states, the Chhattisgarh Health Minister said that it is up to the state governments on how to report it.
“We heard about the oxygen shortage in some hospitals of Delhi and other states, but it is up to the governments there how to report it,” he added.
Deo’s remarks came after the Central government on Tuesday informed the Rajya Sabha that no deaths due to lack of oxygen has been specifically reported by states/Union territories during the second wave of COVID-19.
Responding to a question by Congress MP KC Venugopal on whether a large number of COVID-19 patients died on roads and hospitals due to acute shortage of oxygen in the second wave, Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar pointed out that health is a state subject and accordingly all states/UTs report cases and deaths to the Union Health Ministry on a regular basis.
In a written reply, she stated that the Government of India has supported the States and undertook a series of actions including provisioning medical oxygen.
“Health is a State subject. Detailed guidelines for reporting of deaths have been issued by Union Health Ministry to all states/UTs. Accordingly, all states/UTs report cases and deaths to Union Health Ministry on a regular basis. However, no deaths due to lack of oxygen have been specifically reported by states/UTs. However, the Government of India has supported the States and undertook a series of actions including provisioning medical oxygen, and other consumables to ensure clinical care of COVID-19 patients in view of the steep rise of COVID-19 trajectory in the country during April- May 2021,” read the reply.
Dr Pawar highlighted that the medical oxygen demand in the country during the second wave peaked at nearly 9000 Metric Tonnes (MT) as compared to 3095 MT during the first wave.
“The supply of medical oxygen to hospitals is determined by contractual arrangements between the concerned hospital and the medical oxygen supplier. However, due to an unprecedented surge in demand for medical oxygen during the second wave – the demand in the country peaked at nearly 9000 MT as compared to 3095 MT during the first wave – the Central Government had to step in to facilitate equitable distribution to the States. A dynamic and transparent framework for allocation of medical oxygen in consultation with States/UTs and all the stakeholders such as relevant Ministries, manufacturers/suppliers of liquid oxygen etc. was prepared,” she stated.
Responding to another question, the Union Minister said that there are no reports of concealing of death by the State/UT government.
“There are no reports of concealing of death by the State/UT government. However, some states based on the reconciliation of mortality data have revised their figures. Such states have been advised to reconcile their data correctly in terms of dates and districts so as to get a correct picture of the pandemic,” Dr Pawar stated. (ANI)
