The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told Rajya Sabha during the monsoon session of the Parliament today, on July 20, that the states have not specifically reported deaths of COVID19 patients during the second wave of the pandemic in India.

Responding to a question raised in the upper house on whether a large number of COVID19 patients died on roads and hospitals due to acute shortage of oxygen in the second wave, Minister of State for Health Bharati Praveen Pawar stated that ‘no deaths due to lack of oxygen have been specifically reported by states and UTs’.

“Health is a state subject and states and Union Territories regularly report the number of cases and deaths to the Centre. Detailed guidelines for reporting of deaths have been issued by the Union Health Ministry to all states and UTs,” Pawar stated in a written reply.

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“Accordingly, all states and UTs report cases and deaths to the Union Health Ministry on a regular basis. However, no deaths due to lack of oxygen have been specifically reported by states and UTs,” Pawar added.

On the total demand and supply of oxygen, the Ministry said that the supply of medical oxygen to hospitals is determined by contractual arrangements between the hospital and the medical oxygen supplier concerned.

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“However, due to unprecedented surge in demand of medical oxygen during the second wave – the demand in the country peaked to nearly 9000 MT (metric tonnes) as compared to 3095 MT during the first wave – the Central Government had to step in to facilitate equitable distribution to the States,” the Health Ministry stated in its reply.

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Lok Sabha adjourned as opposition protests about Pegasus surveillance issue

Meanwhile, ruckus prevailed in the Lower House of the Parliament as the Lok Sabha witnessed continued disruptions by the opposition parties as they tried to target the Central government over the Pegasus snooping controversy.

The disruptions eventually resulted in the adjournment of the Lok Sabha till July 22.

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