BS RAWAT
The Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) in Karnataka has written to the state Drugs Control Department complaining about abnormal and exorbitant increase in prices of oxygen supplied by manufacturers, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the letter, Dr R Ravindra, president of the association said, “This is to bring to your notice that M/s Praxair/Linde have increased the prices for supply of liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders to hospitals. The existing price is Rs 16 per cubic metre plus Rs 5 freight charges and 12 per cent taxes, which adds up to Rs 23.52.The revised price is Rs 16 plus Rs 5 plus, an extra Rs 15, and 12 per cent tax, which adds up to Rs 40.32.”

Dr Ravindra cites a gazette notification by the Department of Pharmaceuticals dated September 25, which has capped the price of liquid medical oxygen at Rs 15.22 per cubic metre and that of oxygen inhalation medicinal gas in cylinder at Rs 25.71 per cubic metre.

The PHANA president points out, “Although the NPPA, as per the gazette, has capped the prices of oxygen, hospitals in Bengaluru are being forced to pay the exorbitantly revised prices with immediate effect and are being threatened that supply of oxygen to the hospital will be stopped.”

“With the increase in rate of oxygen and the fixed rate by the government for different wards, it is difficult for the private hospitals to sustain and will affect care of Covid patients,” the association clarified.

The association has requested urgent intervention in capping the prices of the oxygen supply since most of the moderate and severe patients of Covid require oxygen and at present the consumption of oxygen has gone up drastically.

“Any disruption in oxygen supply is going to adversely affect patient treatment,” the letter warned.