COVID-19: Now, a shortage of empty oxygen cylinders in Mumbai

Oxygen cylinders being filled at a unit

The severe shortage of oxygen in city hospitals due to a sharp surge in COVID cases has crippled the supply chain with a new challenge - scarcity of empty O2 cylinders. Suppliers, who are already struggling to arrange for liquid oxygen, say they are now not getting enough tanks at regular intervals for refilling as hospitals have stored too many fearing they might run out of their stocks. If this was not enough, black marketeers are also working overtime to stockpile the life-saving gas and selling it at thrice the market price.

Suppliers say empty cylinders are not coming to their plants regularly. Pics/Hanif Patel

While oxygen shortage has forced the BMC to shift several patients from one facility to another in Mumbai, the situation is equally grim in Vasai-Nalasopara-Virar with hospitals in the area seeing an unending flow of patients. It recorded 908 positive cases on Sunday and has 8,367 positive patients. The virus has claimed 24 lives in the belt since April 16.

Poor availability of liquid oxygen, the raw material, has kept everyone in the supply chain - from suppliers to hospitals to families of gasping patients - on the edge.

Prasad Raut, who owns Speed Oxygen, told mid-day, "We are not getting adequate amounts of liquid oxygen to convert it into gaseous oxygen to meet the high demands from hospitals. Our supply is affected by 50 per cent. The hospitals are not in crisis but we can say that there is a shortage of oxygen." The company said it has been getting requests for oxygen from several hospitals in Mumbai.

The owner of Leo Oxygen, Nitin Serejo, said, "Most hospitals have stored filled tanks to meet future demands as there is a severe shortage. But because of the storage, there is a crisis of empty oxygen tanks."

Serejo said oxygen tanks are not easily available and one has to wait for at least 45-50 days to get one. "Since hospitals are fully occupied with patients who need oxygen support, the new lot of COVID patients are preferring to remain home-quarantined for the treatment instead of doing rounds of hospitals," he said, adding, "The price of one small oxygen tank whose capacity is 1,320 litres is Rs 3,500 but it is sold for Rs 10,000. The black marketeers are minting money."

A man fills an oxygen cylinder at a plant

Atul Paraskar, MD of Ozone hospital in Nalasopara, explained the situation. "We have to get the oxygen from a plant that is at least 8 km away. We send our own vehicle and ward boys but still don't get enough cylinders."

Local activist Wasim Karari said the unavailability of empty tanks is a huge worry for the already-stressed patients' families. He said, "They are either purchasing the empty cylinders in black or have been advised to get tanks used by welders or fish growers."

Karari said they have arranged at least 50 such cylinders. He has mobilised local boys to find out those who need oxygen support.

Fisherman Zuber Poji from Nalasopara said he has given away 10 cylinders to the needy for free as his business is nearly standstill due to the lockdown. Anab Patwari, another fisherman from the area, too has chipped in with 10 tanks.

Speed Oxygen's Raut said they are getting help from the government but the rising caseload has disrupted the entire system. His firm also caters to Palghar district. "Our target is to supply 4,000 jumbo cylinders per day to Palghar." Each such cylinder can carry 7,000 litres of oxygen.

Karari said he is being helped by Abbas Poji of Sudhakar Committee and Farhan Wadrick. He added, "A few doctors including Dr Shah Mohammad Farooq, Dr Aslam Deshmukh and Dr Talha Chinde are supporting us in giving treatment to home-quarantined patients in need of oxygen support."

Rs 30 a doctor

Dr Shah Mohammad Farooq has been going door to door to treat for free patients who fail to get a bed. "I have been performing roja every day, but my priority is to give treatment to patients who are in dire need of it." Dr Farooq owns Rehmat Medical Centre in Nalasopara where the consultation fee is Rs 30. "A group of six local boys are getting me the health updates of patients on oxygen support at home," said Dr Farooq, who hardly gets to spend time with his family members in this season.

Rs 10,000
Black market rate of an oxygen cylinder