Centre asks states for no restrictions on movement of medical oxygen

After the ministry came to know that a few states are trying to curb the free inter-state movement of oxygen supplies by exercising provisions under various Acts, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday said no restriction should be imposed on inter-state movement of medical oxygen.

New Delhi: No restriction should be imposed on inter-state movement of medical oxygen, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday, while strongly reinforcing that it is the responsibility of every state and Union Territory (UT) to ensure hospitalised COVID-19 patients receive oxygen.

The ministry said it has come to its knowledge that a few states are trying to curb the free inter-state movement of oxygen supplies by exercising provisions under various Acts and also mandating manufacturers or suppliers in their jurisdiction to restrict oxygen supplies to only hospitals of the state.

In view of this, the health ministry has reiterated the critical importance of oxygen in hospitals for management of critical COVID-19 patients, it said.

"In a letter to states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has emphasised that availability of adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen is an important pre-requisite for managing moderate and severe cases of COVID-19," the ministry said in a statement.

Notably, that adequate supply of oxygen throughout the country has enabled effective clinical care of the hospitalised moderate and severe case, in conjunction with other measures.

Meanwhile, India on Friday registered 70,880 COVID-19 recoveries in last 24 hours taking the total number of recoveries to 35,42,663 with a rate of 77.65 per cent.

Five states including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh are still accounting 60 per cent of the total positive cases in India.

As many as 1209 deaths were also reported from across the country in the last 24 hours taking the total casualty number to 76271.

India on Friday registered 96551 news cases that take the total positive cases to 4562414. The number of total active cases at present is 943480.