India is presently facing a grave emergency as medical oxygen supplies to treat the soaring number of coronavirus cases are running out and in many places, patients have lost their lives due to lack of oxygen. In the heat of the crisis, in a heartwarming act, Kashmiri dealers send their own share of the life-saving machines, sending 100 oxygen concentrators to Maharashtra, which is presently the worst COVID-hit state with a total of 4.23 million cases, 3.47 million recoveries, and +63,818 deaths to date and the state is suffering for lack of oxygen.
The Kashmir dealers, who had 100 oxygen concentrators in stock, sold those to an aid organization based in Mumbai at a cost much lesser than the market price. The Kashmiri dealers had bought these oxygen concentrators in winter when the price of such equipment was at its lowest due to the falling COVID-19 cases.
“Suppliers in Delhi who earlier offered oxygen concentrators, for Rs 38 to Rs 45 thousand a piece are quoting a new price: Rs 75 to Rs 85 thousand a piece and the waiting period is 2 weeks,” Mohammad Afaq Sayeed, who runs SRO Batamaloo, an organization working for the welfare of the poor wrote on his Facebook wall.
“And Kashmiri dealers who had oxygen concentrators in stock sold the same to Aid Organisation of Maharashtra for Rs 42 to Rs 44 thousand only. More than 100 machines sent to Maharashtra from Kashmir. Hats off. Time and again Kashmiris are proving, what compassion and care means (sic),” he added.
The shortage of oxygen in hospitals across India has led to high demand for oxygen concentrator machines. Since there is a lack of hospital beds due to the soaring COVID cases and many patients are turned out of hospitals, but still, urgently require the life-giving gas, these machines can be kept at home, a life-saving device to those with low oxygen saturation. The machine filters oxygen from the air in the room, which can be administered to the patient.
A rising number of patients resorting to home quarantine still require oxygen and the need for oxygen concentrators has increased immensely. It is also very commendable that the Kashmiri dealers are selling it at such low rates far below what other Suppliers in Delhi are selling these machines for. This too at a time when even oxygen and remdesivir are being sold in the black market in some places in India. It is heartwarming to see humanity and compassion during such a difficult time in the world.