India's Oxygen Shortage Crisis Expected to Ease by Mid-Next Month

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] In India, where the shortage of medical oxygen has become severe due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected that the oxygen shortage crisis will be resolved by mid-next month.

Moroy Banerjee, a representative of Linde PLC, India's largest oxygen producer, stated in an interview with major foreign media on the 30th, "This month, India's medical oxygen consumption surged to 7,200 tons per day, more than eight times the usual amount."

Banerjee added that the crisis occurred because no one was prepared for it.

However, he predicted that this crisis situation would be somewhat alleviated by mid-next month.

Banerjee said that Linde and other suppliers are increasing production, and by mid-next month, the daily output will exceed 9,000 tons.

He also anticipated that the logistics infrastructure for oxygen distribution would improve within a few weeks. Recently, in India, the eastern region produces a large amount of oxygen, but the northern and western regions are suffering from severe shortages.

He said, "By mid-next month, the transportation infrastructure will be ready," and through this, they will be able to serve the demand across the country.

Support supplies from countries around the world are also expected to somewhat ease India's oxygen shortage crisis.

According to the Indian daily The Hindu, Harsh V. Shringla, Deputy Foreign Minister, announced at a briefing the day before that about 40 countries have agreed to provide medical and oxygen-related supplies.

Russia has already sent 22 tons of medical supplies, including oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and therapeutics, to India, and U.S. medical aid supplies, including 400 oxygen cylinders, also arrived in New Delhi on the same day.

In India, the local medical infrastructure is on the verge of collapse due to COVID-19, with more than 300,000 new daily confirmed cases occurring for nine consecutive days recently.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.