Oxygen is known as life-saving gas because it is necessary for the survival of human beings. No resource has emerged as valuable as medical oxygen as the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to overwhelm India’s medical system.
The patients of Covid – 19 have difficulty breathing, and oxygen is the most effective medication. Lack of medical oxygen in the country has created the situation where people waiting outside hospitals are dying. In India, the death due to a lack of oxygen are termed genocide.
In these tough times, the donors and many organisations of Karkala have come up with an initiative to help alleviate the crisis by starting an oxygen production unit. This has become a relief for Covid patients across the Udupi district.
Speaking to News Karnataka Sunil Kumar, MLA of Karkala said, “the oxygen emergency arising due to the pandemic has become severe. Since one of the tell-tale symptoms of Covid is breathing difficulty and other lung-related problems, supplemental oxygen therapy has been widely recognised as pivotal for improving the condition of Covid patients. In Karnataka, the oxygen supply has failed to meet the demands arising due to a heavy surge in Covid cases across the state. Thus we have come up with a plan to provide medical oxygen to government hospitals by starting an oxygen production unit near to them, he said.
Further, he informed that “We have already flagged off oxygen production units in Karkala and Hebri to provide medical oxygen to the Government hospitals. The unit has the capacity of producing 6000 litres of medical oxygen. The unit situated in Karkala will provide an oxygen facility of nearly 80 beds and meanwhile, the Hebri unit will provide the oxygen facility for 20 beds. We have flagged off the oxygen unit of Karkala and Hebri on Monday May 10, and on Tuesday May 11, respectively. Within the next 6 weeks, the unit will be operational.
In addition to that 100 beds with oxygen are already available for Covid patients in the government hospitals and a Covid care centre has been set up with 65 beds. The ambulance services have been started in the government hospital of Karkala, Nitte, and Hebri, he said.
“Hopefully, collective efforts of citizens and government will undoubtedly aid the nation in containing the Coronavirus soon, he added.
