Odisha rolls out free oxygen service at home to Covid-patients as part of a new health-care movement

<p>
<strong>The Odisha government is pulling all stops to deliver oxygen at home as part of a countrywide movement to combat Covid-19 beyond hospitals.</strong></p>
<p>
On June 6, the Odisha Government has decided to deliver oxygen concentrators at residence of those Covid-19 patients who are in isolation at home in five cities of the State and also those who have been discharged from the hospital but require one to two litres of oxygen per day.</p>
<p>
This free service was launched by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur through virtual mode. Those who wish to avail of this service can book a concentrator through the State Covid dashboard or covid19.odisha.gov.in app.</p>
<p>
The facility is also available at the Odisha Covid dashboard app for Android and iOS operating systems.</p>
<p>
On the occasion of the launch of this service, the CM said: "Odisha has been continuously upgrading healthcare facilities for the benefit of people. The availability of oxygen concentrators will give huge respite to patients looking for the equipment and strengthen our preparedness against current and future waves of Covid-19.”</p>
<p>
Officials at the Health Department shared that the five municipal corporations have been provided with 1000 oxygen concentrators, to be made available to patients free of cost. This equipment will be given only for those whose oxygen saturation is below 94.</p>
<p>
The responsibility of monitoring and delivering the concentrators will be with the municipal corporations said the Additional Chief Secretary (Health) P.K. Mohapatra.</p>
<p>
On booking the device, a rapid response team will visit the person's house with the device and train the family members on how to use it. Further, a leaflet mentioning the dos and don'ts will also be given to the user.</p>
<p>
The team will continue to monitor the patient regularly and when the patient does not require the concentrator, the device will be given to the next patient. Mohapatra added that the entire process of doorstep delivery and pickup of the oxygen concentrator will be seamless and free.</p>
<p>
Aiming to ensure that there is no scarcity of the equipment, the State has sourced more than 10,000 concentrators. Every oxygen concentrator saves a much-needed hospital bed for the patient in need and therefore this service will be extended to other district headquarters when needed.</p>
<p>
Besides the Government, voluntary agencies too are working in the direction of providing oxygen concentrators to people.</p>
<p>
One such is the Kochi-based Gurudwara Singh Sabha which in association with Khalsa Aid International, a UK-based non-profit humanitarian organisation, will help the needy by providing them the critically required oxygen concentrators.</p>
<p>
KAI has provided 40 oxygen concentrators for distribution. Of the 40, 10 have been given to the Indian Medical Association, 10 to National Health Mission. The remaining 20 are distributed by Gurudwara Singh Sabha.</p>
<p>
The Kochi-based Gurudwara Singh Sabha Kochi has always been in the forefront in helping people in distress. Back in 2018 floods the Sabha distributed 1,000 food packets daily while during the two lockdowns due to Coronavirus, the Sabha distributed 500 food packets daily from its community kitchen.</p>
<p>
Separately the Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), a spiritual organization based on the teachings of all religions, has joined the nation’s fight against the deadly pandemic by making another 33 of its centres in various cities in the country available for setting up facilities to treat Covid patients.</p>
<p>
The centres are located in states such as Punjab Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. It has already thrown open its facility in Delhi for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.</p>
<p>
In the national capital, RSSB has teamed up with the paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Policy (ITBP) to care for the Covid infected.</p>