Jaipur, Jun 18 (PTI) Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Friday said the state will soon become self-reliant in medical oxygen generation as manufacturing plants are being set up by various institutions.

He said the state will be able to generate around 1,000 metric tonnes of oxygen.

India is reeling from the second wave of COVID-19, which left many states, including Rajasthan, scrambling for medical oxygen as cases mounted rapidly.

In May, the Rajasthan government had said it had started importing oxygen concentrators from Russia and China to cope with the sudden surge in the demand for the life-saving gas.

Sharma said, "The government is making elaborate arrangements for oxygen generation and the state will become self-sufficient in the days to come."

Around 1,000 metric tonnes of oxygen will be generated by the manufacturing plants being set up by various institutions in the state, he said.

Sharma also said there is apprehension that a possible third wave of COVID-19 may affect children more. Keeping this in mind, the Rajasthan government is taking steps to strengthen children's hospitals in the state.

Some experts have warned that the next wave of the pandemic may affect children more while others have said there is little reason to believe this theory. However, experts concur that there is a need to improve paediatric Covid services in the country.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)