'Oxygen on Wheels' dispatched to help COVID-19 patients in rural areas of Mathura

MATHURA: To contain the spread of COVID-19 cases in rural areas of Mathura, an 'Oxygen on Wheels' programme was flagged off in the district on Tuesday for prompt supply of the life-saving gas, a senior official said.

The vehicles laden with oxygen cylinders were dispatched to the block headquarters on Monday evening to ensure oxygen supply for the needy from Tuesday morning.

"It would not only reduce the surge of COVID-19 in rural areas of Mathura but mortality rate would also be reduced to an optimum minimum," Mayur Maheshwari, a senior Uttar Pradesh government officer and nodal officer of COVID-19 for Mathura, said on Monday evening after flagging off the vehicles to 10 block headquarters of Mathura and two areas falling under the municipal corporation limits.

He said the priority of the state government is on containing the surge of COVID-19 in rural areas.

Maheshwari complemented the district administration for launching the novel programme as medical oxygen is an important component in controlling the second wave of COVID-19.

Under the scheme implemented in association with philanthropic industrialists, the family members of the patients have to contact the Integrated Control and Command Centre in Mathura and the required oxygen cylinder would reach them within two hours, District Magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal said.

The facility will be free of cost and initially available for four days on the recommendation of the area rapid response team through D-type cylinders.

However, it may be extended for three more days based on the requirement, officials said.

While in rural areas, the SDM of the area would act as the nodal officer for the scheme, an official from the Nagar Nigam (municipal corporation) will be the in-charge in urban areas, the DM said.