Shameful: Many hospitals in UP engage in black marketing of oxygen amid Covid crisis

The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has been testing the healthcare system across the country to the hilt. However, even in trying circumstances as such, some ghastly individuals and hospitals are indulging in crisis profiteering by black-marketing the lifesaving oxygen, overcharging the patients for the treatment and simultaneously turning away non-Covid patients. The Yogi Adityanath government in the last two days has cracked down on such hospitals that were supposedly hoarding oxygen, supplied by the state government whilst turning down patients.

According to news reports, a police complaint was registered against Arun Pandey, Director of Sun Hospital located in Gomti Nagar area in Uttar Pradesh’s capital city, on basis of a preliminary investigation conducted by Additional District Magistrate in which the charges of showing laxity towards treating patients were found to be true.

As per the initial probe, it was found that the hospital administration used to send Covid-19 patients to other hospitals, claiming a shortage of oxygen for further treatment. The investigation also revealed that the hospital has sufficient medical oxygen for Covid-19 patients.

Similarly, a Covid hospital in Bulandshahr was raided by the police on Wednesday night after reports of black marketing of oxygen and charging exorbitant fees to the patients came to light. The manager of the hospital was immediately arrested. However, the nursing staff managed to flee the scene and the police had to deploy a team of the Health Department to take care of the patients. The DM of Bulandshahr took to Twitter to inform that the hospital was being sealed and patients were being shifted to other hospitals.

In Kanpur, three touts selling medical and surgical equipment’s without MRP were apprehended by the joint operation of the crime branch and Food Safety and Drug Administration. A large quantity of pulse oximeter, oxygen flow meter, thermometer etc. have been recovered from the nabbed accused.

Anticipating the growing cases with a potential third wave in the offing as well, the Yogi Adityanath government recently decided to deploy retired doctors, retired personnel of the armed forces and para-medical staff into service to counter the caseload.

Read More: To deal with Covid-19 crisis, Yogi Adityanath decides to rope in retired doctors, paramedical staff

As reported by TFI, while the patients around the country are battling for oxygen and oxygen cylinders, CM Adityanath has iterated time and again that the state has no shortage of oxygen but the only problem was black-marketing of it. The two aforementioned hospitals had adequate stock supplied by the UP government and yet, they were indulging in the black marketing of it.

“There is no shortage of oxygen in any COVID hospital, be it private or government. The problem is black marketing and hoarding, which will be tackled with a heavy hand,” the state CM had said.

Being the most populous state of the country, the Yogi administration has managed to keep the case count in check so far when compared to other states such as Maharashtra and Kerala. However, the hospitals trying to profiteer in such a situation should have their licenses suspended immediately.