FDA sees no shortage of medical oxygen supply amid pandemic

FULL TANK- File photo shows the Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital’s stock of medical oxygen tanks  (MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / INQUIRER)

MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is confident that the country will not have a problem with the supply of medical oxygen amid the COVID-19 pandemic with the current 81 licensed medical oxygen manufacturers and 30 hospitals that produce their own requirements.

FDA Director Eric Domingo on Thursday said that they have received several applications for the licenses of medical oxygen manufacturers in July, as the country also prepares for an increase in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant.

“In the past month, we were very happy that there were several manufacturers that came forth and started. In the past month we were able to add additional licenses of about 30. So we now have 81 manufacturers all over the country and aside from that, we have 30 hospitals that are licensed also to manufacture oxygen within the hospital for their own use,” he said in an interview ABS-CBN News Channel.

“So far, ‘yung manufacturing and supply capability ng manufacturers natin, hindi pa naaabot ng 50 percent ang nagagamit and we are confident that we are not going to have a big problem with our oxygen supply,” he added.

(So far, the utilization for the manufacturing and supply capability of our manufacturers have not reached 50 percent and we are confident that we are not going to have a big problem with our oxygen supply.)

Domingo also reminded the public to not stock up on medical-grade oxygen tanks if they do not need it and if these were not prescribed by their doctors.

The Department of Health (DOH) has also been issuing this reminder in order to ensure the sufficient supply of oxygen tanks in hospitals.

“It’s actually a prescription drug. Ito nga ang babala namin sa mga tao. Ang oxygen po, bagama’t kailangan natin siya kapag may sakit tayo sa baga, it can also be toxic and harmful if not used properly especially at such high concentration. Hindi po ‘yan pwede bilhin na para kang bumili ng kahit ano lamang. Kailangan po ‘yan may reseta ka ng doktor,” he said.

(It’s actually a prescription drug. This is our reminder to people. Oxygen, though we need it if we have respiratory ailments, can also be toxic and harmful if not used properly especially at high concentration. You cannot buy it as if you are just buying anything. You need a doctor’s prescription.)

Earlier, the DOH said the government is discussing how it can regulate the sale of oxygen tanks in preparation for the possible impact of the COVID-19 Delta variant in the country’s healthcare system.

The DOH has so far confirmed 450 cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant, of which 13 remain active.

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