New Delhi: Amid reports of shortage of oxygen in the hospitals during the second wave of COVID-19 across the country, the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) has decided to import oxygen generation plants and containers from Germany to cater to the shortage.
The Defence Ministry informed on Friday that 23 mobile oxygen generation plants are being airlifted from Germany.
These will be deployed in AFMS hospitals catering to COVID patients.
These oxygen-generating plants are expected within a week, the ministry said. Earlier this week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting to review the Ministry of Defence’s preparations and response to the COVID-19 situation. Sources had informed that Defence Minister took the review of progress in COVID-19 hospitals on Tuesday.
He also asked officials to analyse and let him know what more is required and there will be procurement immediately, sources said.
This comes as India has seen a record surge in COVID-19 cases in the past few days. India recorded 3,32,730 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike since the pandemic broke out last year.
India has crossed the mark of 3 lakh COVID-19 cases for two consecutive days now.
This has taken the cumulative count of the COVID infections in the country to 1,62,63,695.