No shortage of oxygen in any govt or private hospital in Uttar Pradesh, says CM Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath said that there is no shortage of drugs like Remdesivir in the state.

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday (April 24) claimed there is no shortage of medical oxygen in any private or public COVID-19 hospitals. 

Addressing a virtual meet with media personnel, Adityanath said that the problem is black marketing and hoarding of medical resources. He also asserted that there is no shortage of drugs like Remdesivir in the state. 

The BJP leader said that the government will conduct an oxygen audit in the state. "There is no shortage of oxygen in any COVID hospital, be it private or government. The problem is black marketing and hoarding, which will be tackled with a heavy hand. We are going to conduct an oxygen audit in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, IIM Lucknow and IIT BHU for proper monitoring of oxygen. The system of live tracking of oxygen demand, supply and distribution will be implemented,” the Uttar Pradesh CM said. 

Adityanath added that oxygen is not in short supply provided only the needy use it. "Every infected patient does not need oxygen, cooperation is expected from the media in increasing awareness about this," PTI quoted the UP CM as saying. 

He informed, "We have made arrangements for oxygen plants in government institutions. There was a lack of this system in private institutions. Work is on to set up 31 new oxygen plants including 18 plants based on DRDO's latest technology.” 

The saffron leader who tested COVID-19 positive earlier, said that it would be a mistake to consider the coronavirus as “normal fever”. 

"It would be a huge mistake to take corona as normal viral fever. I am also in its grip. I have been following all COVID protocols since April 13 while in isolation,” he stated. 

He acknowledged that initially there were problems in increasing the number of hospital beds in the state, adding that they were quickly overcome.

Uttar Pradesh on Saturday recorded its highest single-day spike in new infections and coronavirus-related deaths with 38,055 fresh cases and 223 fatalities, pushing the virus tally to 10,51,314 and the toll to 10,959, according to an official statement. 

(With inputs from PTI)