COVID-19: Oxygen concentrators installed on two APSRTC buses in Andhra

Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat inaugurating
Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat inaugurating

East Godavari (Andhra Pradesh) [India], May 14 (ANI): Amid difficulties of Covid-19 patients finding beds and oxygen supply, two Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses "oxygen-on-wheels" will operate from Friday.

Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat hired two APSRTC buses -- Vennela AC buses -- and named them as ''Jagananna Prana Vayuvu Ratha Chakralu" after making a few modifications to accommodate six Covid-19 patients. Bus has six oxygen concentrators and will provide oxygen to patients waiting outside Rajamahendravaram government hospital.

The patients who will not get oxygen beds immediately at the hospital or covid care centres will be placed in these buses until they get one at the hospital.

MP Bharat said, "This initiative will be helpful for patients who won't get oxygen supply or beds in time at the hospital, as the number of cases is increasing day by day. The buses are named as 'Jagananna Prana Vayuvu Ratha Chakralu'. This is the first time such services are launched in the state."

The MP further said, "Many private bus owners are coming forward to help by giving their buses for serving covid patients. If these two buses receive a good response, he will try to bring many more such buses all over the state."

The MP said that repair works for the oxygen production plant at Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Rajamahendravaram are going on, the plant will start oxygen production in two to three days. Once production starts at Paper Mills, almost 4.000 oxygen cylinders can be filled, he added. (ANI)