Oxygen-the elixir of life...

 Ever since the Pandemic broke lose early this year the global health fraternity has been fighting the menace with all its might. By the time the world population woke up from slumber and disbelief the virus had already taken its toll as continent like Europe was ravaged. Thousands of deaths every day in many countries like Italy, France, Germany, Britain in Europe dotted the headlines. The doctors world  over were anguished as to what medical regimen they would follow to stem the rot. The early months of March and April have been scary. The most affected has been the mighty USA where death rate has been very high. The effect was so horrifying that even a city like New York,  the Financial Capital of the world usually busy with its customary hustle bustle turned barren and ghost like.

While the medical fraternity fervently tried to figure out the ways to tackle the menace,  India came out with a novelty of its own. Doctors in Kerala claimed to have treated Covid-19 patients with an anti-malarial drug Hydroxy Chloroquine ( HCQ). It alongwith Oseltamivir was reported to have a capacity to tame the virus. The claim raised hues allover and even tonnes of HCQ tablets were sent to US and other countries. While various means were being effected by the medical fraternity the Premier UN organisation WHO started using directives one  after another which hardly helped the cause. 

One common takeaway from the dreaded disease has been how debilitating the respiratory system becomes when the virus invades cells of a human body. Covid-19 virus which is similar to SARS-CoV debilitate the lungs making it unable to function. This leads to a drastic reduction of oxygen in cells leading to patient’s death. Thus, supplying enough oxygen to lungs became the primary requirement which the medical fraternity accepted in unison. It may be recalled that British Prime Minister Mr Boris Johnson was administered 8 litres of oxygen everyday till he finally recovered.

While other medicinal drugs in past months have taken centrestage in the treatment of patients afflicted  with Corona virus, supply of medical grade oxygen to patients has remained the mitigating factor world over. In India the problem, though not enormous, has already had its effects on certain sectors like industries. In many places district administration has issued directives to industrial gas manufacturers to reserve supply of medical grade oxygen for covid patients. While the move is apt and sound considering that safety of human lives is supreme, the tale-tell effect on industries, especially steel manufacturers, has started to be severe. It is common knowledge that oxygen is used extensively in small to medium steel industries. Most of these units depend entirely on supply of oxygen from exclusive gas manufacturers/ dealers. As a result of the directives issued by district administration, even though for a far more cogent cause, has adversely effected the steel industries which depend solely on procured oxygen from outside. Unable to cope with the growing problem a number of such units has pulled down shutters which has caused unemployment to many. With the virus showing no signs to abate the supply of oxygen or lack of it may cause severe hindrance in health care management in a country like india which already is baulked down under severe stress and is showing sign of fatigue and tear. Setting up of infrastructure to augment production of industrial gases, oxygen in particular, overnight may not be viable as it needs much more investment than ones used to stitch PPE kits. 

In an earlier blog I mentioned about the requirement of comprehensive  amendments to the existing ‘The Epidemic Diseases Act 1897’. Needless to say that the manufacture and supply of medical grade oxygen should also be a part of inclusion in such amendment. It is time the powers that be thought and acted in that direction.

While the matter is of grave importance I sincerely urge the readers to support the cause and come up with fresh ideas to help combat the covid menace.