Batch Of Medical Oxygen For Critical Covid Patients Reaches Telangana From Odisha

Telangana received the first batch of tankers loaded with medical oxygen on Monday. The oxygen has been brought from the Rourkela Steel Plant of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Odisha for Covid-19 patients.

The empty tankers were specially flown from Begumpet to Odisha in two C17 cargo aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday. Within three days, five tankers loaded with medical oxygen reached Telangana, thus reducing the travel time by three to four days.

The five tankers reached Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS), Gachibowli, District Hospital, King Kothi, Chest Hospital, Erragadda and Government hospitals in Khammam, Karimnagar and area hospital in Cherlapally on Monday night.

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According to sources, four more tankers loaded with medical oxygen are expected to come from Odisha on Tuesday. A total of nine tankers carrying 150 tonnes of oxygen for critical Covid patients in the state were airlifted from Odisha.

The Central Government has allocated 360 tonnes of oxygen to Telangana from 12 steel industries spread across the country. Apart from Odisha, more stock of medical oxygen will be transported to Telangana from steel plants located at Hospet and Bellary in Karnataka and Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.

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After the outbreak of Covid-19 the State health authorities had managed to establish a huge oxygen tanker within the campus of Gandhi Hospital while there were proposals to establish similar facilities within the state. In January, the Centre gave a nod to establish five medical oxygen generation plants under Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistant and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund Trust.