Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, May 4: "Dakshina Kannada (DK) district has enough oxygen stock as of now and there is no problem. We are getting more oxygen cylinders," said deputy commissioner (DC) of tie district, Dr Rajendra K V.
He said that the plants in the eight private hospitals here have oxygen stock. "There are three refilling units in the city which produce ten tonnes of oxygen. We are getting 20 tonnes of oxygen every week from other districts. Therefore, for the present, we have enough oxygen to match the current demand," he informed the media persons in the city on Monday May 3.
He revealed that 800 jumbo cylinders of oxygen will be supplied from Palakkad, Kerala, and more oxygen is being indented from the Jindal plant at Ballari. "Our city had not received oxygen supply for the last four to five days. Now the supply has resumed and there is no problem. 80 percent of the district's requirement of oxygen comes from Ballari and 20 percent from Palakkad," he explained.
Udupi
The district administration here said that the number of coronavirus cases is increasing and there is rise in the number of patients with breathing problems. It stated that current oxygen stock is sufficient for 36 hours and that it has made arrangements to handle any eventuality.
It noted that intensive care unit and ventilator beds in government and private hospitals have been fully occupied and the patients are moving between government and private hospitals. "Under the current circumstances, the district needs four to six tonnes of oxygen. The government hospital here has stock of six kilo litres of oxygen while KMC Manipal has 20 kilo litres, which totally meet two days requirement of the district," he explained.
"We get oxygen from Mangaluru, and if we get that, we can manage for four days. Oxygen supply to Mangaluru comes from Palakkad, and there is currently some problem with supply. As such, the officials say, that oxygen supply to Udupi was depleted as a result. We are trying our best to get oxygen from Ballari," it explained.
ICU and ventilator beds in private and government hospitals in the district are full. In Karkala, four ICU beds are vacant, it said.
People say that the call centre entrusted with the responsibility of admitting corona infected persons into hospitals does not function properly. A local, Hussain Kody Bengre, said that his relative at Gangolli was identified with this infection and was brought to the district hospital where ventilator intensive care beds were not available. He said that the doctors advised to shift the patient to private hospital but there too facility was not available. After moving between different hospitals from 11 am, bed was arranged at 6 pm, he explained.
Deputy commissioner G Jagadeesha, said that the district administration and all the legislators from the district are trying to get oxygen supply from Ballari. He said that number of patients with breathing difficulties is on the rise. He said that arrangements are being made to create additional ICU and ventilator beds.