COVID-19: PM Modi to hold review meeting on availability of oxygen & medicines in India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with experts at 9:30 am on Sunday to review oxygen and medicine availability amid a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in the country. He will review the human resource situation in relation to the pandemic and ways to augment it.

The meeting assumes significance as India attempts to tackle an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases that has put tremendous pressure on its healthcare system and left many states in the lurch for hospital beds, life-saving oxygen and anti-viral medicines.

The Centre on April 30 said it has asked the States to treat available oxygen as a critical commodity and undertake an oxygen-consumption audit at all hospitals, including private ones, amid a shortage of gas in several parts of the country.

Joint Secretary of the Health Ministry, Lav Agrawal said the government had procured 1,02,400 oxygen cylinders at the national level in April- May 2020 and distributed the same among the States progress. He also said the states have already been allotted 8,593 MT of liquid oxygen.

PM holds meeting with empowered group, Council of Ministers

PM Modi on Friday chaired a meeting with the Empowered group, in which he reviewed the COVID-19 related situation and directed the government to work in close coordination with the States so that the poor get benefits of free food grain without any issues. During the meeting, PM said that steps should be taken to expedite the settlement of pending Insurance claims so that the dependents of the deceased are able to avail of benefits in time. He also officials to plan holistically to ensure seamless movement of goods so that supply chain disruptions are avoided. 

On the same day, PM Modi chaired a virtual meeting with the Council of Ministers on the ongoing health crisis. He urged the Ministers to stay in touch with people of their respective regions, help them and get their constant feedback. The meeting was attended by Ministers as well Principal Secretary to PM, Cabinet Secretary. Member (Health) NITI Aayog Dr V KPaul made a presentation on Management of COVID-19 pandemic.