To overcome the severe shortage of medical oxygen and problems with transportation to hospitals amid the COVID-19 crisis, the government on Sunday imposed an administrative sanction of around £ 310 billion for expanding the necessary infrastructure.
According to GO Rt. No. 214, issued by the Chief Secretary (Medicine and Health) Anil Kumar Singhal, the funds will be used for the procurement of 50 cryogenic oxygen tankers, the construction of oxygen generation plants at 49 locations, the relocation of 10,000 additional oxygen pipelines as well as labor and material used required to carry out repairs on oxygen lines for six months.
The GO noted that the executive director of AP Medical Services & Infrastructure Development Corporation had submitted a report to the government on the need for oxygen plants and other facilities caused by a surge in medical oxygen demand due to the second wave of COVID -19 turned out to be more virulent than the first.