Mohammad Azan Khan, 30, a resident of Srinagar is desperate to secure an oxygen concentrator for one of his Covid-19 positive relatives. Khan approached many people but machines are either out of stock or the chain of social groups have already given them to the needy.
Khan finally decided to buy from a dealer.
“I arranged Rs 40,000 but once I approached the dealer he told me that the cost of a 5ltr concentrator is now Rs 55000,” Khan said regretting that he returned home empty-handed.
In the ongoing second Coronavirus wave, the price of concentrators has skyrocketed. From a common person to an NGO, all have the same story to tell. Supply of life-saving equipment is also low and it is becoming extremely difficult for the NGOs to replenish their inventory.
“Our first consignment of 100 concentrators was literally snatched from us by the Uttar Pradesh government,” said Hakim Mohammad Ilyas, founder of the NGO, Ehsaas International. “Whether legal or illegal, they snatched it while transporting.” It took an effort by the NGO to recover the consignment.
Even these basic machines have grown precious and costly. “Last year we purchased a concentrator at Rs 46000, now it costs Rs 75000,” he said. Now the NGO has stopped transporting these machines to Kashmir. They are investing more and airlifting them to Srinagar.
This story is from the May 23, 2021 edition of Kashmir Life.
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This story is from the May 23, 2021 edition of Kashmir Life.
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