OHRC pulls up govt over black marketing of O2

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Wednesday pulled up the state government over alleged black marketing of medical oxygen and other lifesaving medicines that are required for Covid treatment. The commission has sought reports from the chief secretary and and additional chief secretary (health) on the status of availability of medical oxygen in the state.
The commission said it took suo moto cognisance of the matter after coming across media reports of alleged black-marketing of medical oxygen. “The commission is shocked to know that the oxygen cylinders and lifesaving medicines are stated to be sold at very high prices. We have been passing through an unprecedented crisis as people are suffering due to the Covid infection. The human civilization is at stake,” said the OHRC directive passed by its chairperson Justice B K Patel and member Asim Amitabh Dash.
The OHRC has also asked the director general of police Abhay to ensure strict action against those promoting black-marketing of medical oxygen and medicines.
Appreciating the government step to fix the hiring rates of ambulance services during the pandemic, the OHRC has asked the government to take steps to contain the spread of infection in rural areas. The commission requested the government to set up temporary medical centres (TMCs) in rural areas at the earliest. The human rights panel was all praise for good Samaritans, who have been providing free food, medicine and oxygen to the needy. The OHRC has also asked the government to follow the NHRC guidelines relating to cremation and burial of bodies of Covid infected.
The government said there is no shortage of medical oxygen in the state and steps have already been taken to prevent hoarding of medicines and other medical supplies that are essential for treatment of Covid-infected. “We constituted a three-member committee headed by Crime Branch ADG on April 16 to prevent hoarding of medicines and other medical supplies, including oxygen. Enforcement squads have been regularly searching medical stockists. So far, we have not come across any instances of hoarding. Still, we request the people to inform us if they come across hoarding of medical oxygen and medicines,” a senior member of the committee said.
Besides, the government on Tuesday constituted a task force that would prepare and implement a plan for provisioning of medical oxygen in healthcare facilities of the state. Odisha’s medical oxygen consumption at present is 56.73 MT per day while the state’s production capacity is 155.51 MT per day through cylinders and 375 MT through liquid medical oxygen.
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