Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said that there is adequate supply of oxygen in health institutions of the state and constant efforts are on to enhance the supply by setting up more oxygen plants to facilitate the COVID patients.
The Chief Minister said that the state is producing 75.81 metric tonne per day while the consumption is 27.83 metric tonne per day. The state presently has 4728 D-type oxygen cylinders and 1535 B-type cylinders.
He said that eight industrial units are also working for manufacturing oxygen in the private sector in the state and the production is 57.03 metric tonne per day.
The state has urged the Government of India to 5000 D-Type and 3000 B-Type cylinders to the state, he said.
Thakur said that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has provided 75000 PPE kits and 75000 N-95 masks to the state.
Giving details of oxygen plants in the state, the Chief Minister said that presently,oxygen plants are functional at zonal hospital Dharamshala, DDU Shimla, medical colleges Chamba, Shimla, Tanda, Ner Chowk, Hamirpur and MMU Kumharhatti.
He said that oxygen plants sanctioned by the Centre for the state would be established soon by the DRDO at civil hospital Palampur, zonal hospital Mandi, civil hospitals Khaneri and Rohru in district Shimla, regional hospital Solan and medical college Nahan.
Thakur further said that recently, the Government of India had sanctioned 13 more PSA oxygen plants for the State which were being established at Palampur, Mandi, Ghumarwin, Hamirpur, Reckong Peo, Ratti, Rampur, Sarahan, Kullu, DDU Shimla, IGMC Shimla, Dharamshala and Ner Chowk.
The State Government is also making all out efforts to enhance bed capacity keeping in view the rise in the number of Covid patients in the hospitals. At present, there are around 3700 beds available in various health institutes of the state and almost half of them are unoccupied, he said.
The state also has a facility of 244 ICU and 1804 oxygenated beds. The bed capacity would be enhanced by 1100 in makeshift hospitals at the earliest, he added.
HP RED CROSS STARTS DOCTOR'S COUNSELLING SERVICE
Himachal Pradesh State Red Cross has started the doctor's counselling service for COVID-19 patients in home isolation in the state.
A spokesman of state Red Cross said that a control room has been set up at the headquarters level where the staff and volunteers of the Red Cross would be stationed from 9 am to 5 pm. Anyone living in home isolation can contact the control room on landline numbers 0177-2621868 and 0177-2629969 and 94599-77733.
The staff members and volunteers will receive the call and provide the contact number of the doctor available. The specialist doctors from various faculties will also be available in this team of doctors. This counselling service will be available from 9 am to 5 pm. Patients can also send audio or video clips to physicians so that they can assess and give advice, he said.
The doctors besides giving advice on Corona will also answer queries of such persons. The control room will also provide the contact number of the Red Cross Centre of the concerned district so that any assistance can be taken in collaboration with the district administration, he said.
