Production & Supply of Medical Oxygen: Kerala Model of Pandemic (COVID-19) Management

The second wave of COVID-19 severely hit the country, India. Many hospitals, across thecountry, faced acute shortage of medical oxygen. However, a small state in southern part ofIndia, the State of Kerala, has been highly successful in managing production & supply ofmedical oxygen. In spite of highest daily confirmed COVID-19 cases & escalated demand formedical oxygen, the State efficiently managed to have sufficient medical oxygen to meet itsown demand and supplied excess to needy neighbouring States (Goa, Karnataka and TamilNadu). In the article, the author tries to identify & discuss success factors of the State thathaving a key role in uninterrupted production & supply of medical oxygen to meet itsunprecedented increase in demand across the State of Kerala during the pandemic (COVID-19). The study involved a detailed analysis of secondary data. The data was collected fromvarious (offline & online) platforms such as newspapers, news portals, reports, websites etc.The early preparedness, visionary investments (for infrastructure development), effectualmonitoring (production, supply & consumption of medical oxygen), effective communication(among all stakeholders) and continuous coordinated collective efforts (of OxygenProduction Units, the PESO Kerala, the Hospitals, the State Health Department and, the StateGovernment) are the key success factors. The State has been highly successful in managingproduction & supply of medical oxygen, across the state, during uncertain time of COVID-19and thus, stood as an exemplary for rest of the country.