Nagpur: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is set to play a key role in the oxygen demand-supply chain after the recent crisis-like situation. Their more active role in the Covid task team was finalised by divisional commissioner Sanjeev Kumar.
As of Monday, FDA sources claimed there was 130 metric tonnes (MT) liquid oxygen manufactured by a leading unit, and another 32 MT was brought from Bhilai. It’s learnt that at the present rate of spread of infection, the city would need around 100 MT or so to meet its requirements.
However, several arrangements are being made to ensure the production and stock of liquid oxygen is increased with an anticipated spike in April. “If there are no issues with transportation and availability of empty cylinders, then the present stock of liquid oxygen would be the ‘optimum capacity’,” said a FDA official.
The FDA team would now monitor the entire chain of demand and supply of oxygen, from the manufacturing and refilling units to private hospitals. The FDA team is also keeping tabs on oxygen availability in the district, especially in the city, as a sudden corona spike had triggered a shortage last week. This led to the plan of action by the Covid task team.
After hospitals claimed acute oxygen shortage, forcing them to discharge or shift Covid patients, an emergency meeting had to be called to meet the challenge.
FDA, which had been playing a monitoring role so far, has now been tasked with cross checking demand, supply, transportation and stock at manufacturing units of liquid oxygen, refilling centres and also private hospitals. All this will be done under the supervision of joint commissioner Mahesh Gadekar and assistant commissioner PM Ballal.
FDA sources said any demand for oxygen would now be routed through the FDA by Covid task force members, like NMC, following which the agency would verify and arrange for supply as per requirement. “A ground reality check would be done at the demand end to ascertain the actual requirement of oxygen vis-a-vis the demand placed, so as to ensure there is no unnecessary stocking,” said the source.