The sharp increase in confirmed cases in India has left hospitals everywhere facing the depletion of medical resources such as beds and medical oxygen and ventilators. To alleviate the shortage of medical resources, the Indian government has taken a series of measures, including increasing the production and supply of medical oxygen. The soaring demand for medical oxygen has left oxygen companies in long lines in front of them and overwhelmed them.
In response to the shortage of medical oxygen, the Indian government has carried out a number of actions. India’s rail transport sector has stepped up the opening of express trains to deliver oxygen tanks across the country. Indian railways have delivered nearly 150 tons of medical oxygen to the country in the past 24 hours, according to Indian media.
Many oxygen plants are overwhelmed by high demand and oversupply. In front of an oxygen plant in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, India, many medical staff, community workers and ordinary citizens lined up outside with empty oxygen tanks.
Indian medical worker Verma: I have to bring some oxygen back to my hospital, it’s a temporary new patient admissions center, and I don’t know what to do now.
Reporter: How are the patients in the hospital?
Indian medical worker Verma: The situation is as bad as you think, with only three oxygen tanks available and four more out of date. Don’t believe you can see for yourself, the hospital is full of bodies, there is a truck full of empty oxygen tanks. For three days, I’ve been trying to oxygenate the oxygen tank.
Oxygen production and filling facilities are already overwhelmed by soaring orders from across the country, according to the plant’s staff. The factory had to shut down routine industrial oxygenation and focus only on oxygen filling medical oxygen tanks.
In addition to the run-out of medical oxygen, the Indian government says there is also a shortage of vaccine supplies. At a vaccination site in Mumbai, India, large numbers of people lined up in the hope of getting vaccinated as soon as possible.
India’s Coronavirus vaccinator: I’ve been waiting in line here for about 20 minutes, if only I could build a shed. Vaccination points are crowded, and so are weekends. Due to the shortage of vaccines, more people should be lining up here, and I hope that everything will be properly arranged.
