REVISED Prayagraj: Union minister for road transport, highways and shipping Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said Covid-19 has thrown up new challenges and we should be ready for the third wave as we have already lost many lives due to lack of medical oxygen “during the second wave of the pandemic”.
“He also assured UP of all possible help in meeting the shortage of medical oxygen and injections for the black fungus infection.
Gadkari was speaking virtually at the foundation stone laying ceremony of an oxygen plant being constructed by Prabhavya Industries at Saraswati Hi-Tech City, Naini, on Wednesday.
Gadkari spoke about the need of oxygen in Uttar Pradesh and lack of vital injection for black fungus infection.
“If there is any need in UP, that deficiency will be filled by the injection bank set up in Maharashtra by us,” he assured.
As and when UP would want, we can supply 50,000 injections and that too at cheap rates,” he added.
He also said that it is a good sign that a road construction company is setting up a plant where 1,500 cylinders of oxygen, per day, will be ready by September.
The Union minister said that vaccination will also have to be accelerated.
In such a situation, make big malls, parking lots as vaccination centres where people can get vaccinated by sitting in their car.
He added that preparations should be made in advance regarding ventilators as well.
The ventilator that comes from abroad costs Rs 12 to 15 lakh.
“We have prepared ventilators in collaboration with MSMEs of Visakhapatnam at a cost of Rs 1.48 lakh and if UP needs it, we will make it available at the same cost,” he assured.
Speaking on the occasion, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that there had been some problems regarding oxygen and ventilator in the second wave of the corona pandemic, but now the government is well prepared for the possible third wave and the people of the state will not face any kind of inconvenience.
State minister Siddharth Nath Singh said that the Yogi government is setting up oxygen plants in the entire state and health facilities are constantly being expanded.
Umesh Jaiswal, owner of Prabhavya Industries, got emotional during the foundation stone laying ceremony.
He announced that he would also provide free oxygen from this plant to Kaushambi district hospital too.
He has already announced to give free lifetime supply of oxygen to three government hospitals of the district.
Even Gadkari praised Jaiswal for setting up an oxygen plant and giving it free to the government hospitals.