Prime Minister Narendra Modi met top central government officials via video conference to discuss the deadly second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and the national vaccination drive. The meeting came amid opposition criticism over PM Modi's involvement in the Bengal election campaign as the country lurches from one grim Covid milestone to another. On Saturday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said he couldn't speak to PM Modi for this reason.
This is the Prime Minister's second Covid-related meet in two days, and third since last week.
"On the issue of supply of medical oxygen, the Prime Minister directed that the installation of approved medical oxygen plants should be sped up. 162 oxygen plants are being installed in 32 states and Union Territories from PM-CARES fund. The officers informed that 1 lakh cylinders are being procured and they will be supplied to states soon," the government said in a statement after the meeting.
"PM Modi spoke about the need to utilize the full potential of India's pharmaceutical industry to meet the rising demand of various medicines. He reviewed the status of supply of Remdesivir and other medicines. The Prime Minister was briefed on actions taken to address the issue of availability of Remdesivir," the government said.
On Friday, PM Modi met senior officials of several ministries and was briefed on the government's efforts to meet rising demand for medical oxygen to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients. Last week he held a video-conference with the chief ministers of some of the worst-affected states.
Saturday's meeting was held amid a frightening spike in daily cases - over two lakh this morning for the third straight day, over 1.5 lakh per day since April 11 and over a lakh per day since April 7.
The surge in cases has left the country's already-battered healthcare infrastructure on the verge of collapse, with hospitals overflowing, doctors disillusioned and fatigued, and critical medical equipment - like ventilators and oxygen cylinders in perilously short supply.
Several states, including Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, have red-flagged low oxygen reserves.
Oxygen is desperately needed at hospitals and COVID-19 facilities to help people with advanced COVID-19 symptoms, who are often unable to breathe on their own and could die if not aided.
In others the lack of hospital beds has forced patients to share those available or, as in the case of a facility in Maharashtra's Pune, led to makeshift wards being set up outside under metal sheets.
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