Stop oxygen use for industrial purposes: MoHP

April 26, Kathmandu: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has urged the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MoICS) to stop the operation of industries using oxygen for sometimes amid increasing Covid-19 cases.

On Monday, the Health Ministry wrote to the Industry Ministry, urging it to stop the operation of such industries to cope with the possible crisis of oxygen supply for Covid-19 treatment.

The MoHP’s senior assistant administrator, Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari said, ” The situation in neighbouring India is really alarming as the virus has been aggressive there, a short supply of oxygen has further contributed to the death rates there and on this backdrop, we are careful about saving the country from such situation like in India and have sought non-use of life-saving gas for industrial purposes.”

The MoICS has been urged to control the supply of oxygen and oxygen cylinders on a black market and its import, to ensure its smooth supply in the domestic market and shut industries using oxygen or make them consume the least quantity of gas if the closure seems not possible.

The country reported 28 deaths from Covid-19 on Sunday alone and 3,122 new cases were identified. In Nepal, 300,119 have so far been infected while 277,573 recovered. Till Sunday 3,164 have died from the virus.