Medical oxygen supply is running out in hospitals across several Indian states with cases surging past 6.1 million. With prime medical oxygen sources located in Eastern and Western India, many areas are left without immediate access. New Delhi, and the states of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, with a combined population of some 200 million, almost the population of Brazil, don’t have a single oxygen manufacturing unit. All India Industrial Gases Manufacturers Association president Saket Tiku remarked that India’s oxygen usage went from 570 tons per day with 1,300 cases in March to 2,800 per day in September, creating enormous stress to supply chain logistics. Other pressing concerns are a restricted number of mobile cryogenic tankers. Oxygen will need to be utilized judiciously and efficiently for future purposes.

 India is currently the second worst-hit country with COVID-19 infections. Since the imposed lockdowns in March, the tally surged much further in the following months. The administration of Narendra Modi had to urgently step in earlier this month. The federal health ministry instructed states to ensure there were no blockages for the movement of tankers with medical oxygen supply.