Bhopal, Apr 19 (IANS): As the second wave of coronavirus infection in Madhya Pradesh takes a turn for the worse, there is a shortage of facilities at the hospitals in the state and the black marketing of medicines and medical equipment is also going on.
The number of Covid-positive patients increases by the day and so does the number of deaths. However, the state government has directed strict action against those who indulge in black marketing of medicines and other medical equipment. The number of daily infected cases has surpassed the 12,000-mark in the state.
The number of patients found to be positive for Covid-19 is more than 22 per cent. The worst hit districts reeling under the pandemic are Indore, Bhopal and Gwalior, where the number of infected patients has been increasing rapidly. Complete lockdown is being resorted to in a large part of the state. Educational institutions have been closed while tall claims are being made to improve the overall condition of the hospitals.
At many hospitals in the state, there are complaints of patients not getting oxygen supply, shortage of medicines, non-availability of beds. Black marketing of Remdesivir injection continues unabated. At the same time, the oximeters and Vapourub machines have disappeared from the market.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken the alleged black marketeering of medicines and other materials seriously. The state health officials have been instructed to ensure a fair system of distribution of medicines and injections.
The Madhya Pradesh government has claimed that the supply of oxygen in the state would be 700 metric tonne by the end of April this year. On Sunday, the state received 390 metric tonne oxygen. The supply of oxygen to the state has been bolstered by supply from Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Buildings are being identified for the Covid care centres in six divisions of the state -- Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Sagar and Rewa so that swift arrangements can be made to treat the surging number of Covid patients. Nearly 1,000 beds will be available in these buildings.