By Ekraj Giri, Pokhara, May. 17: While the nation is facing a shortage of oxygen cylinders for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, no fatalities have been recorded in Gandaki Province due to the unavailability of oxygen support.

Two oxygen gas industries located at Pokhara, the provincial capital, have been able to supply oxygen in enough amounts for the virus-infected patients.

Currently, around 1,000 oxygen cylinders are being used daily in various hospitals of Pokhara while oxygen gas enough for 1,500 cylinders are being produced daily in Pokhara Oxygen Private Limited and Kaligandaki Oxygen Private Limited.

Chief District Officer Thaneshwor Gautam said that both the industries were producing oxygen at their full capacity.

"Pokhara is not in shortage of oxygen gas as of now. Currently, Armed Police Force (APF) officials have been deployed in both the companies for distribution of oxygen cylinders," said Dr. Baburam Acharya, chief of District Public Health Office.

However, according to Dr. Acharya, necessary preparations must be done to prevent the shortage of oxygen in the days to come if the number of infected patients continued to surge.

According to the oxygen industries, private hospitals were demanding more oxygen than government hospitals. Acharya said, "After we faced a problem in distributing oxygen gas, we decided to deploy APF personnel to facilitate the distribution. Now, we have become able to ensure equitable distribution of gas along with effective management of cylinders."

According to the data provided by two oxygen industries of Pokhara, there are around 3,000 oxygen cylinders in Pokhara, however, not all of them are being used in the health sector.

Shreenath Poudel, assistant CDO, said, "If we can utilise the cylinders being used in other sectors by coordinating with the construction companies, no difficulties will be faced in the treatment of COVID-19 patients due to the lack of oxygen."

Currently, Pokhara has been providing oxygen to other provinces as well. Poudel said that Kaski had provided five cylinders to Gulmi on Sunday.