Covid-19 impact: Prices of oximeter, inhaler and other medical devices hit the roof

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Prices of oxygen concentrators, nebulisers and oximeters have reportedly surged 50-100% in the past 10 days.

Thousands of consumers expressed their anger on social media and said they had to pay almost a lakh for oxygen concentrators, which normally costs Rs 45,000. The monthly rentals for the device is also said to have increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000-20,000.

“Firstly, oxygen cylinders are nowhere to be found. The demand is so high and production is still very limited. Many people are taking advantage if this and selling cylinders at a price of their choice Somewhere, the cylinder is priced at Rs 6,000 while at another place you might have to buy it for Rs 10,000 even. Its bizarre,” Parul Singh, resident of Hauz Khas, New Delhi said.

Meanwhile, the prices of COVID devices are soaring both offline and online. Products like steam machine, inhalers and nebulisers are costing unusually high.

According to a report by The Economic Times, E-commerce giant Amazon initiated to remove listings of accounts selling these products above Maximum Retail Price (MRP), even as the organised medical devices industry, legal entities and consumers called for enforcing pricing control over these products.

“We are disappointed that some sellers are attempting to raise prices beyond the MRP on certain products amid the pandemic. There is no place for price gouging on Amazon and in line with our policy, we continue to actively monitor our marketplace and take necessary action including removal of listings and suspension of accounts against sellers who are selling products above the MRP, which is in violation of Indian laws,” an Amazon spokesperson was quoted in the report as saying.

Keeping the rising tension in mind, oxygen concentrator sellers have, reportedly, asked distributors and dealers to not sell the product at unreasonably high rates.

Meanwhile, local medical shops are also struggling to refill stocks of medicines.

“We’re running short on oximeters and steam inhalers. Other non-Covid related medicines are also available in limited quantity. My dealers have also run out of stock. I’m selling at least 15-20 pulse oximeters every day because every other customers wants to buy one for safety. The sudden increase in demand has pushed the price of regular medical items to such highs,” Nitin Jha, assistant staff at a pharmaceutical shop in Sector 27, Noida said.

The never-heard-never-seen before demand from customers has pushed the prices of Covid devices beyond the roof. As a precautionary measure, most people are trying to stock their homes with as many kinds of medicines as possible while some need it for survival. In any case, selling products beyond the MRP rate is illegal and cannot be justified.