Hyderabad: Chinese oximeters sold sans bills

Hyderabad: Even as the call to ban Chinese products is on, oximeters made in China are sold in the city that too without a bill. As the cases of Coronavirus in the city are increasing day-by-day, so has the demand for Oximeter. The patients with mild symptoms and those in home isolation are directed to check their oxygen level every 2-3 hours.

The oximeter is available in medical shops and pharmacies with starting price Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,800 depending on the brand. "The demand of the oximeter is high at the moment," said a pharmacist.

Meanwhile, in Koti, the prices are starting from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,800 with 20-30 per cent on MRP. "Made in China Oximeter are also available for Rs 1,000 with no warranty, no guarantee, no exchange and is also selling the product without bill. While, the oximeter in brands are available starting from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,500 depend on the brand with one-year warranty," said a chemist.

"Same brand and same product is being sold at different price. There is more than Rs 500 of difference," he added.

Pulse oximeters are medical devices that monitor the level of oxygen in patient and alert them, when drops the level they need to be treated. "The patients who are symptomatic and are in home isolation must check their oxygen level and when it drops they must consult the doctor," said a duty doctor at UPHC, Madannapet.

The government had allowed home isolation for Covid-19 patients, and are provided with 'home isolation kits'. These kits contains all basic items like masks for the entire family, two pair of gloves, sanitisers, liquid hand wash, sodium hypocholorite solution, three different kinds of vitamin tablets (B Complex, Vitamin C and Zinc), but the the kits doesn't contain oximeter. "If the government is providing all necessary items they must have also include the oximeter. As the use of oximeter is advice by the doctors for home isolation patients," said Shaik Moiz, a customer purchasing oximeter at Medical market in Koti.

Sanjeev, a customer said, "The same brand oximeter is available in every store but with price variation. The government should at least fix the price for the instrument and district Drug Control Association (DCA) should control the price variation," he added.