Concern: Drug-infected people are being supplied with unsafe gas pump oxygen

More than a week now, the Gjilan Hospital is facing a lack of oxygen, which is very necessary for patients infected with COVID-19. In his absence, patients have been forced to buy it at gas station.

And this oxygen, which is neither medical, is costing them over 200 euros with all the other equipment.

Ridvan Murati, who has been dealing with the sale of oxygen in the Gjilan municipality since the 1990s, has told Express that there have been numerous demands from citizens for oxygen supply.

He said that the oxygen they sell is technical and not medical, but which is responsible for the citizens for how they use it.

According to him, a tank of oxygen and other necessary equipment is selling it for 215 euros.

We haven't had any agreements with the Gjilan Hospital, but the citizens themselves have come to us. 15 euros is a tank of oxygen, and then there are other devices that cost 215 euros, but if patients return the equipment, then the tools are returned to”, he said.

Murati has said further that because of the lack of licensed operators, they have helped citizens in terms of oxygen supply.

According to him, citizens' demand for supply has increased recently.

We've requested supply again, but there's a lack of oxygen. Citizens' demands have been raised with regret, but we don't have what to do, institutions should take steps, not at”, he has said.

That citizens are being supplied with oxygen at gas pumps, the deputy head of the Gjilan municipality, Arber Ismajli, has confirmed.

He has said that 10 days have already raised the issue of lack of oxygen.

There's no innovation for us lack of oxygen, because as a municipality, we've raised this concern for 10 days. It's not that Gjilan Hospital has no oxygen, but there are extremely many difficulties in supply. If the hospital has oxygen reserves in just one day, it's a danger to citizens. That's our concern”, he said.

He has declared that as a municipality they don't know if the oxygen that citizens are getting from gas pumps is safe, and that according to him, this is the responsibility of Gjilan Hospital.

Otherwise, Ishmael has announced that they are already in contact with the mayor of Kumanovo for oxygen supplies from this municipality.

However, although declared to be having difficulties in the supply, they have not admitted that patients have been forced to buy oxygen themselves.

The clinical director at this hospital, Uckshin Ismajli, told the newspaper that they were never left without oxygen, which therefore did not ask patients to buy it.

No oxygen left. The moment we weren't left without oxygen, we didn't ask for this”, he said.

As regional hospitals continue to have a lack of oxygen, the Health Ministry has said the supply is not in their competence.

And, Health Minister Armend Zemaj himself said days ago that there is oxygen supply, and that there should be no panic in citizens.

Donika Emine, executive director on the CaviCos platform has also reacted to the oxygen supply at gas station.

She has said that in the place where oxygen is being bought, her family buys gas canisters for heating only.

That's it at Ada Gas where they're buying the people of Gilani with oxygen, my dad buys the gas tank for heating. So much is worth our life. Plus at 200 euro plus and using a non-precious bumbo! By drinking gasoline, maybe we're creating antibodies, so when the state doesn't provide basic things and citizens should be filled with circular tools”, she wrote on her social Facebook network.