Second Covid-19 Wave: Odisha Orders 710 Lakh Lit Oxygen For Projected 3.6k Severe Patients

Bhubaneswar: With the second wave of coronavirus heading towards a bigger peak this time in Odisha, with projections indicating the daily positive count touching 10k, the State government claimed there is sufficient oxygen available for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

“There is no need to worry. We have enough oxygen supply to cater to the critical needs of Covid-19 patients in the State,” asserted ACS (Health) Pradipta Mahapatra.

LIFELINE DEMAND DURING FIRST WAVE  

As per the data available with Odisha State Medical Corporation (OSMC), during the peak of the first wave last year, the State saw a demand of 23metric tonnes or 161 lakh litres of oxygen for a total of 820 critical covid-19 patients.

The data shows below 1 per cent of total confirmed cases or nearly 4 per cent of active patients in the State needed oxygen therapy during the peak of the first wave in the month of September.

THE NATIONAL PICTURE IN FIRST WAVE

The data provided by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan reveals that nearly 6 per cent of the total Covid-19 patients in the country needed oxygen treatment during the first wave. And nearly 2 per cent needed intensive care (ventilator support) treatment.

As per the data, over 3.78 lakh patients were given oxygen treatment during the first wave peak in September 2020. And over 1.26 lakh were put on ventilator support during the peak period last year.

A comparative analysis of the oxygen requirement between Odisha and the country shows that in the first wave peak the demand in Odisha had been miniscule of the country’s requirement.

LIKELY OXYGEN DEMAND IN STATE IN SECOND WAVE

If the high-end projection of 10k cases per day scenario is taken into account, and data shows when the proportion of hospitalisation requirement in the country, including Odisha, remained almost the same as it was in the first wave, the number of patients who will require oxygen treatment may hover around 1800-2000, explained a senior official in Directorate of Medical education and training  (DMET).

ODISHA HAS ENOUGH ‘OXYGEN’ IN AIR?

If the data provided by OSMC is to be believed, then the State Government visualising a worse scenario has gone for the kill. Odisha has ordered a massive 18000 oxygen cylinders, including 8000 D-type and 10,000 B-type.

“We have ordered a whopping 710 lakh litre of oxygen this time. This will cater to the critical need of over 3,616 patients,” informed a senior OSMC official.

THE WHO COVID-19 O2 THUMB RULE

As per WHO, 100 patients need 90,000 litres of oxygen per hour or nearly 22 lakh litres per day.

If the projected patient (2000) needing oxygen therapy is considered, then the WHO norm mandates a supply of over 440 lakh litres of oxygen per day.

The OSMC data shows Odisha has ordered 710 lakh litres of O2 for the State.

IF REQUIREMENT TURNS EXPLOSIVE THEN..

Going by the current trend, it seems unlikely that there will be an explosive demand for medical oxygen in the State.

However, as per DMET Director CBK Mohanty, Odisha is ready to meet any eventuality.

“Oxygen supply will not be a problem for Odisha. The State need not import it from outside states. The steel plants here, which are currently supplying medical oxygen to states like Maharashtra, Delhi etc, are able to meet the immediate oxygen demand in Odisha. Even, IFFCO, Paradeep site is going to manufacture a high of 56 lakh litres (700 cyclinders) per day,” he outlined.