Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed officials to ensure rapid upgradation of health infrastructure in the country. Mr. Modi chaired a meeting yesterday with top officials to review the Covid-19 related situation in the country. He got an overview on the situation in the country relating to oxygen availability, medicines and health infrastructure.
The Empowered Group working on boosting Oxygen Supply briefed the Prime Minister on the efforts being made to ramp up availability and supply of oxygen in the country. They informed the Prime Minister about increasing allocation of Oxygen to states. It was discussed that the production of liquid medical oxygen in the country has increased from five thousand 700 tonnes per day in August last year to the present eight thousand 922 tonnes, as on 25th of April. The domestic production of liquid medical oxygen is expected to cross nine thousand 250 tonnes per day by the end of this month.
Prime Minister instructed the officials to work closely with state governments to start the PSA Oxygen plants at the earliest. Officers also apprised Mr. Modi that they are encouraging states to also set up PSA Oxygen plants. He was also briefed about the functioning of the Oxygen Express Railways Service as well as the domestic sorties and international sorties undertaken by Indian Air Force to transport oxygen tankers.
The Empowered Group working on Medical Infrastructure and Covid management briefed the Prime Minister on efforts being undertaken to ramp up availability of beds and ICUs. They informed the efforts being break the chain of transmission. Prime Minister stressed on the need to ensure that specific guidelines and strategies evolved regarding Covid management needs to be properly implemented by the relevant agencies in the States.
The Empowered Group working on communication informed on the efforts being undertaken to improve awareness among people on Covid-related behaviour. Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary Information and Broadcasting, Secretary Pharmaceuticals, Member NITI Aayog, DG ICMR, Secretary Biotechnology and other senior officers were present in the meeting.