Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada self-sufficient in oxygen supply, says DC

MANGALURU: Even when the state is facing an acute shortage of oxygen in hospitals to treat Covid-19 cases, hospitals in Dakshina Kannada district have not been affected so far, according to officials.
Government Wenlock District Hospital has its storage plant that has oxygen sufficient for more than two weeks.
Similarly, the supply chain in the district to various government and private hospitals is intact and no cases of oxygen scarcity have been reported so far.
Deputy commissioner, Dr K V Rajendra said, the district is self-sufficient in medical oxygen availability.
“At present, we have nearly 650 Covid-19 cases, who are being treated in various hospitals. Out of 66 premises, we received only one distress call so far from a private hospital and oxygen was arranged immediately. We have three private agencies Malabar Oxygen Company, Karnad Gases and Lakshmi Medical Oxygen suppliers in the district who are supplying oxygen regularly.
Meanwhile, the Wenlock District Hospital has its own liquid medical oxygen storage plant. For the next 10–15 days, we will not face any sort of oxygen crisis in the district. As and when requirement arises in hospitals, they raise indent and the agencies supply regularly,” the DC said.
DHO, Dr Kishore Kumar M said, the department is in touch with manufacturers, who have been supplying oxygen to hospitals on priority.
“Wenlock District Hospital has a 6KLD liquid medical oxygen storage facility, which is being refilled regularly. In addition, the hospital also has 110 jumbo cylinders which are also being refilled regularly,” the DHO said.
Dr Ashok H, district nodal officer for Covid-19, said while the district has 3,187 active cases of Covid-19 as on April 24, only 642 are undergoing treatment in government and private hospitals.
“Out of 642 hospitalised Covid-19 cases, 313 are admitted in normal beds as they do not require oxygen and other critical care. While 78 patients are in ICUs, 32 patients are on ventilators and 192 are on oxygen,” Dr Ashok said adding that most of the cases are in home isolation in the district.
Out of 642 hospitalised cases, 524 are admitted in private hospitals and the rest of them are in government facilities including 78 patients in Wenlock District Hospital, he further added.