In the thick of inflating COVID-19 infections in Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, announced that an ‘oxygen monitoring system’ has been set up here. Under the blanket of this system, “a Command Control Centre has been opened at Home Department in Lucknow,” the official added.
Movement of oxygen tankers can be now be monitored live
Speaking about the new monitoring system, the ACS mentioned that through this Management Information System (MIS), the movement of oxygen tankers can be monitored live and viewed on a map. The software’s dashboard will also analyse and inform, if the tanker is getting delayed either in filling or in transportation. The ACS also added that an app will be formulated and installed in each driver’s mobile phone to act as GPS.
This new venture has come into effect at a time when there is an acute crunch of medical-grade oxygen in the city and complaints by hospitals have also surfaced, pertaining to the availability of the life-saving gas. Moreover, to facilitate the movement of these tankers in a seamless mode, oxygen is being supplied to Lucknow hospitals under strict police protection. The state government also plans to conduct an oxygen audit in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, IIM Lucknow and IIT BHU, for proper monitoring of medical oxygen.
Oxygen tanker on its way to Lucknow from Chhattisgarh
Pawan Kaushal
Alongside these measures, to cope with the swelling O2 demands, the second ‘Oxygen Express’ reached Lucknow’s Charbagh Railway Station at around 6:30 AM on Saturday. This special vehicle, as the name suggests, is a Centre-approved oxygen transport train that has created the availability of around 30,000 litres of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) in the state, as per reports.
The Divisional Commissioner was quoted saying, “The oxygen supply from Bokaro has been sent to hospitals in Lucknow and Barabanki. Some supplies have been diverted to patients in home isolation.” It is to be noted that the state government has made it mandatory for patients in home isolation to produce a doctor’s prescription along with their Aadhar card, before they can buy oxygen cylinders.
Further, to strengthen the city’s medical infrastructure, another oxygen tanker is on its way to Lucknow from Chhattisgarh. This tanker will be reaching Medanta Hospital today, ushering in hopes for patients under respiratory distress.
