Covid-19 patients face oxygen price hike

Section 144 imposed to rein in profiteers, hoarders

LAHORE: Adding to the problems being faced by the novel coronavirus patients and their families, prices of oxygen cylinders have been increased manifold by profiteers, while the supply to hospitals has also decreased.

The prices of oxygen concentrators, regulators and oximeters are also on the rise because of hoarding and profiteering.

On the recommendation of Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Muhammad Usman, the home department has imposed Section 144 to curb hoarding and profiteering of these items.

The supply of oxygen to industries has also been stopped and it is being supplied only to meet the needs of patients.

According to local oxygen suppliers, not only coronavirus patients in hospitals but those quarantined at their homes are also being supplied oxygen. A large number of patients are using oxygen at home on the advice of doctors, due to which the prices have skyrocketed.

A 48cf cylinder, which was being sold for up to Rs4,000, now costs about Rs17,000. The price of 240cf cylinders has increased from Rs10,000-12,000 to Rs30,000 to Rs40,000 and 390cf cylinders are being sold for up to Rs50,000.

Thousands of rupees are being charged for refilling oxygen, which was done for Rs300 to Rs700 before the outbreak of the pandemic.

Apart from this, the kits including regulator and concentrator, which were earlier available for Rs1,500 are now being sold for up to Rs11,000.

The price of oximeters has also increased manifold from the earlier rate of Rs1,200 to Rs1,400.

Hospitals are also facing shortage of oxygen supply, while the local supplier companies claim that they too are facing difficulties.

They claimed that production of the medical oxygen industry had decreased during the lockdown and this had resulted in the shortage of supply to hospitals.

But now the government has instructed the industries to produce oxygen and supply it to hospitals.

Big companies all over Punjab are supplying oxygen to hospitals but so far the prices have not dropped.

After the steps taken by the health department, now it appears that a crackdown against hoarders and profiteers is needed.

A local oxygen supplier, Shahid Naveed, said the supply of oxygen to patients has become very expensive. Most patients are quarantined at home these days and need oxygen. He maintained that his setup supplies oxygen to 100 patients and is trying to increase its supply.

He said the oxygen being supplied to big hospitals like Mayo, Jinnah, Services and Ganga Ram was also not sufficient for the patients at present. The health department is receiving complaints from hospitals that they are facing difficulties in arranging oxygen and other medical supplies and patients have also complained about not getting oxygen on time.

Since the imposition of Section 144 for two months, the district administration has launched action against the hoarders to ensure oxygen supply to hospitals.

On June 17, the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department had recommended imposition of section 144 to curb artificial shortage of oxygen-related medical equipment including cylinders and profiteering from medical supplies in the province.

A notification in this regard will soon be issued by the provincial home department.

According to department officials, the price of oxygen cylinders and other essential medical devices has been increased by 50% to 100%. In this regard, a summary had been sent to the provincial home department by the healthcare authorities, as per which supply of emergency oxygen cylinders and related medical devices must be controlled as these supplies were extremely important for the people affected by coronavirus.

The summary had been sent by Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Muhammad Usman, in light of the recommendations of the provincial health department to stop profiteering.  As per the summary, the prices of medical supplies fixed by the provincial government were not being implemented as hoarders had become active and increasing the prices constantly.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2020.