No oxygen crisis even if demand doubles: Health minister

There will be no crisis of oxygen needed to treat Covid-19 patients, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahed Maleque has said.

“Even if the demand goes up to double from now, there will be sufficient oxygen,” the minister told the Business Insider Bangladesh on Wednesday.

He said understanding the importance of oxygen at the moment of the pandemic, the government has already ordered to suspend supply of oxygen to industries.

Bangladesh produces 250 tonnes of gas and 150 tonnes of liquid oxygen per day against its current demand for 100 to 150 tonnes, the minister said.

Besides, privately-run medicals can produce around 40 to 50 tonnes of oxygen at the same time, he added.

In this context, there is nothing to be worried about the sudden halt in oxygen import from India as Bangladesh oxygen management does not depend upon any country, the minister said.

According to a source, the government has booked 40 tonnes of oxygen from the industrial sector for the use of it for Covid-19 patients in case of emergency.

The source said the DGHS has already contacted industries that use liquid oxygen so that it can collect it in case of any crisis.

There are only two companies that supply oxygen to Bangladesh. Of them, Linde Bangladesh supplies 90 tonnes per day and Spectra 40 tonnes.

The Business Insider Bangladesh tried to talk to Linde Bangladesh officials, but they declined to make any comment. They say the company’s head office in India is only authorised to comment.