No Deaths Due to Lack of Oxygen Specifically Reported by States, UTs During Second Covid Wave: Centre

No deaths due to lack of oxygen were specifically reported by states and UTs during the second COVID-19 wave, the government informed Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. But there was an unprecedented surge in demand for medical oxygen during the second wave and it peaked at nearly 9000 MT compared to 3095 MT in the first wave following which the Centre had to step in to facilitate equitable distribution among the states, it said.

Responding to a question on whether a large number of COVID-19 patients died on roads and hospitals due to acute shortage of oxygen in the second wave, Minister of StateMinister of StateMinister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar noted that health is a state subject and states and UTs regularly report the number of cases and deaths to the Centre. “Detailed guidelines for reporting of deaths have been issued by the Union Health Ministry to all states and UTs.

“Accordingly, all states and UTs report cases and deaths to the Union Health Ministry on a regular basis. However, no deaths due to lack of oxygen have been specifically reported by states and UTs," Pawar said in a written reply. The Government of India has supported the states and undertook a series of actions including provisioning medical oxygen, and other consumables to ensure clinical care of COVID-19 patients in view of the steep rise of COVID-19 trajectory in the country during April- May 2021.