The State has sufficient stock of medical oxygen to deal with COVID-19 third wave, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian said here on Wednesday.
After inaugurating 6 KL liquid medical oxygen plant installed at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital at ₹ 72 lakh, the Minister told presspersons that during the first wave, only beds in Covid Care Centres (CCC) were needed, whereas during the second wave, oxygen-supported beds were needed and shortage of oxygen prevailed.
“When the DMK came to power on May 7, the daily stock of medical oxygen was 230 tonnes. But the daily requirement was 500 tonnes when COVID-19 cases were peaking in the second and third week of May”, he said, and added that the State now had 1,000 tonnes as daily stock.
Mr. Subramanian said that when the State reported its maximum number of cases of 36,184 on May 21, medical experts said the daily case count would cross one lakh. “But, effective steps taken by the Chief Minister have led to a drop in cases now”, he said.
Asked whether the State faced vaccine shortage, the Minister said there was no shortage from August 1 and that so far, 2,53,57,300 people were vaccinated.
The Minister said the Centre allotted 72 lakh vaccine doses for the State in July and based on the performance, the State was allotted additional 19 lakh doses. He said the State was receiving nine lakh doses every day from the Centre now.
The State government was abolishing the outsourcing system in the Health Department and was recruiting health workers directly. “If there is any delay in payment to contract workers, it is only because of the contractors”, he said.
He said that all the 1,462 beds at the Salem GH had oxygen support. So far, a third wave had not begun in the State. “But the Chief Minister is requesting all the people to follow the norms to control the spread of COVID-19”, he said.
Collector S. Karmegam, MLA R. Rajendran, Dean Valli Sathyamoorthy and others were present.
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