Bhubaneswar: As the surge in Covid-19 cases continues in Odisha, there has been a huge rise in demand for oximeters. Panic-stricken people now want to keep oximeters handy to monitor the oxygen saturation level in their bodies. However, suddenly oximeters have become a scarce commodity in the Odisha capital. People are running to every nook and corner in search of oximeters, but returning empty-handed.
A survey of various shops in the city proved that there indeed is a shortage of oximeters and some other items needed to fight the menace of Covid-19. Among them is Sodium Hypochlorite (NAoCI) which is used as a disinfectant. The non-availability of such vital items has become a headache for residents of this city.
“Around two weeks ago I bought an oximeter for Rs 650. To my surprise, in the last three days I have visited several medicine shops and have not been able to procure one. In some shops, oximeters are being sold at rates between `2,500 to `3,500,” informed one of the buyers.
Shop owners are claiming that due to the sudden increase in demand, they have exhausted their stock of oximeters. “There has been a huge demand and the medicine stores were not ready for the rush. Due to this, most stores do not have the medical device available to them,” said the owner of a medicine shop.
Wholesalers informed that the supply of oximeters to Odisha have also dwindled as there is a demand for the machine now in all states of India. “We are now buying the device at `2,500 per piece. So we have no option but to sell it at a higher price. As prices have increased drastically, many shops have stopped selling the device, because they may not get a customer,” a representative of the wholesale market said.
The association for chemists however said that shortage of oximeters will end in a week or so. “Yes it is true that there was a shortage of oximeters in the last few days. However we have talked to various manufacturers and new stocks will arrive very soon in the state,” said Prasanta Mohapatra, general secretary of Utkal Chemist and Druggist Association.
Medicine shop owners, however, assured there is no shortage of other Covid-19 related drugs like Ivermectin, Doxycycline, Zinc and multi-vitamins. Representatives of the chemist association said fresh stocks of Remdesivir will also arrive in Odisha in the next couple of weeks. So there won’t be any shortage of this vital drug. Currently, the Odisha government controls the distribution of this vital injection used in treating Covid-19 patients.
Manish Kumar, OP