Oxygen cylinders disappear from Karachi markets

KARACHI: The public and private sector hospitals of Karachi have been facing an acute shortage of oxygen cylinders after a sharp increase in coronavirus cases and its related complications, sources at hospitals recently noted.
Oxygen cylinders have disappeared from Karachi’s markets that have added to the miseries of patients suffering from COVID-19. Corona patients need oxygen to maintain their blood oxygen; however, most government and private hospitals have been facing an acute shortage of oxygen cylinders since the past month.

Oxygen cylinders are either not available or else are being sold at exorbitant rates in local markets. The COVID-19 infected patients admitted in the High Dependency Units of hospitals or isolated in their homes need oxygen to maintain blood oxygen levels.
The federal government and Sindh governments have failed to import cylinders and maintain their prices. The dealers and hoarders have stopped supplying oxygen cylinders to hospitals and refused to continue supply on previous rates.

It is to be noted that patients suffering from COVID-19 suffer from breathing issues, and they need to be put on supplementary oxygen supply to assist their lungs, which are usually severely affected by the novel virus.

-MN Report