Medical oxygen has become a major concern with top hospitals in Delhi and other major cities issuing SOS calls that they were running out of supplies of the life saving gas because of the crush of patients.

The government is now trying to arrange supplies from abroad and from local industry. While the situation in Delhi has improved, smaller towns like Bijnor are struggling.

The government said charges for various treatments, consumables, medicines, doctors and nursing should be made known to the public and will be monitored by the secretary Clinical Establishment Act.

”If any hospital is found to be charging more than the rates… they shall be levied a penalty which shall be ten times the additional charges by the concerned DMO(H),” it said.

Last week, the high court had directed the state government to take steps to introduce a uniform tariff rate for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals.

The three Indian drugmakers – Cipla Ltd , Lupin Ltd and Sun Pharma – will collaborate with U.S.-based Lilly to help make and sell baricitinib in India.The agreements will bolster India’s arsenal of drugs to battle its catastrophic second wave of the pandemic, which has led to an acute shortage of coronavirus medicines including remdesivir and tocilizumab.

”Recovery hence looks to take a longer time when compared to recovery which came after the first wave. The only ray of hope lies on the on time arrival monsoon which is likely to enter India through the southern coast around June 1,” it said.