Odisha BJP leader under attack for spreading ‘false news’ on oxygen scarcity

Bhubaneswar/Berhampur: Hours after BJP’s State General Secretary Prithiviraj Harichandan claimed oxygen stock has been exhausted at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur and patients died due to the oxygen shortage yesterday night, the Ganjam district administration rubbished the allegations today.

Earlier in the day, tagging the Chief Minister’s Office, Odisha to draw the attention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the BJP’s State General Secretary tweeted, “Couple of hours back, I got a confirmed news from MKCG Medical college hospital that Oxygen stock is exhausted since yesterday evening and supply chain is disrupted somewhere. Few patients died yesterday night because of that. @CMO_Odisha may take cognisance of this immediately.”

Following this to undertake a spot visit, Ganjam District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange wearing a PPE kit visited the MKCG hospital and interacted with the Covid patients admitted in the hospital.

Kulange stated the talks of oxygen shortage at the hospital is not true. In a tweet, the District Collector stated, “There are some rumours about oxygen supply in Covid hospital in MKCG. We have sufficient oxygen supply and supply chain is monitored in real time.”

Also, the Collector said he interacted with the patients who expressed satisfaction with the arrangements at the hospital.

The MKCG hospital rubbished the BJP leader’s allegations as well and stated, “It is not a fact that there is shortage of oxygen in MKCG Medical College Hospital. Supply chain is functioning properly and no patient died due to lack of oxygen. Please don’t believe on rumours.”

Currently Odisha is supplying oxygen to the worst Covid-affected States to help in the fight against the disease.