Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas said steps have been taken to increase oxygen storage capacity from the current 517 tons to 600 tons to ensure timely supplies to hospitals.
Surveillance cells have been set up in all of the hospitals to prevent oxygen wastage and supply disruptions that have caused the deaths of many COVID-19 patients in the state, Srinivas told the media after a cabinet meeting the COVID-19 subcommittee was held in APIIC on Wednesday -Headquarters organized in Mangalagiri.
The District Collectors had been instructed to have the condition of the oxygen lines checked from time to time to avoid leaks.
Mr Srinivas pointed out that Prime Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had asked the central government to send 910 tons of oxygen to meet the growing demand for it.
“Of the 49 new oxygen systems that were approved a few days ago, some have already started production,” he said.
“The government is trying its best to give people free vaccines. We set a model for other countries by distributing 60 lakh vaccines in a single day, ”the minister said.
Mr Srinivas said due priority was given to preventing injections of remdesivir from being blackened. A task force had been set up for this purpose. Kits needed for home isolation by COVID-19 patients were shipped in accordance with guidelines and the number of beds increased as the pandemic continued to spread, he added.
Agriculture Minister K. Kanna Babu said ambulances going to Telangana will not be stopped at the borders and over 15,000 beds will be made available in the COIVD care centers.
He warned people not to believe in rumors that COIVD-19 could be prevented by applying cow dung or putting onion juice in the nose. “The ideal course of action is to consult doctors to determine if a particular symptom is that of COVID-19,” he added.