Latest News | AG&P Pratham Deploys Cryogenic Tankers for Oxygen Distribution to Hospitals

New Delhi, May 20 (PTI) AG&P Pratham, the city gas distribution arm of the Singapore-based AG&P Group, on Thursday said it has deployed cryogenic tankers in Delhi - one of the worst COVID-hit states - to transport liquid medical oxygen (LMO) across multiple public and private hospitals.

Christened 'AG&P Pratham Oxygen Express', the first two of AG&P Pratham's tankers, with a capacity of 16 tonnes of LMO each, arrived last week.

"The tankers were handed over to the state government for the distribution of LMO to the various oxygen-starved public and private hospitals," the company said in a statement.

Four more AG&P Pratham Oxygen Express tankers would be delivered to Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Abhilesh Gupta, Managing Director, City Gas Distribution, AG&P Pratham, India said, "The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has inundated India's health infrastructure. To support India in combating this unprecedented health crisis, we have collaborated with the state governments to augment the scarce supply of life-saving oxygen".

AG&P Pratham Oxygen Express, he said, will be transporting LMO to the states that are most hit by COVID-19.

"Starting with two in Delhi, an additional fleet of four LMO cryogenic tankers will next serve the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," he said.

The second wave of COVID-19 broke out in India in February this year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India accounted for half of the COVID-19 cases reported globally and 30 per cent of deaths worldwide, overwhelming the country's hospitals, doctors, frontline healthcare staff as well as crematoriums.

"Multiple groups, organisations and individuals, both locally and internationally, are working tirelessly to support India to effectively rise to the COVID-19 challenge. Through AG&P Pratham Oxygen Express, we hope to reinforce all of our collective determination and effort to overcome the battle with the pandemic and help save as many lives," Gupta said.

(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)