PM Narendra Modi reviews availability of oxygen and medicines

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New Delhi: The supply of oxygen is now more than three times of what it was during the peak of the first COVID-19 wave, the Prime Minister's Office said on Wednesday, noting that production of all drugs, including Remdesivir, has been ramped up significantly in the last few weeks as India battles the nationwide surge in infections.

At a high-level meeting which Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired to review the availability and supply of oxygen and medicines, it was noted that states are being provided medicines in good quantities with the Centre in regular touch with the manufacturers to enhance their production and extend all help needed.

The central government is actively monitoring the supply of drugs being used in the management of COVID as well mucormycosis, a rare fungal infection being reported at some places.

Modi said India has a very vibrant pharma sector and the government's continued close coordination with them will ensure proper availability of all medicines.

The PMO said Modi was also briefed about the operations of oxygen rail and sorties by IAF planes besides the status of procurement of oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders as well as the status of plants being installed across the country to produce the life-saving gas.

Amid reports of ventilators lying unused in some states with local authorities blaming quality issues in a few cases, Modi said states should be asked to operationalise them in a time-bound manner and resolve technical and training matters with the help of manufacturers.