New Delhi, (Samajweekly) Insufficient supply of oxygen in the national capital is not helping the hospitals. Several hospital administrations said that every few hours they have an oxygen crisis and the whole administration is only busy in making frantic calls.
Saturday morning, two prominent city hospitals, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) and Batra Hospital along with others like Moolchand, Jaipur Golden had made SOS calls appealing to authorities to ensure supply. The SGRH and Batra hospitals received supply of oxygen which lasted only for a couple of hours. Chairman, SGRH, Dr D.S. Rana said, “Patients are suffering. We feel sad to see people bringing their oxygen cylinders. Hospital has and is approaching all authorities and Nodal officers but no help is coming.”
Dr Rana further stated that since Friday night hundreds of calls were made, nobody is picking the calls and Government’s helpline number when contacted in crisis also could not help saying, “they can only forward the complaint”. At 9.20 a.m., SGRH said that only 500 cubic meter of oxygen left the hospital which will last for about 30 odd minutes. Batra Hospital also complained about shortage of oxygen. Hours later both the hospitals received insufficient supply of oxygen. While SGRH has received 1.5 tonnes and Batra Hospital received 500 liters which only last for less than two hours.
Medical director of Batra Hospital, Dr S.C.L. Gupta told IANS that the hospital received only 500 litre of oxygen after pleading for nearly 12 hours, which is also less than our daily requirement of 8,000 liters. We have 350 patients and it will get difficult treating them in absence of inadequate supply of oxygen.”
Dr Guota further stated that after almost two hours the situation remains the same and the hospital is almost running out of oxygen. “We have started supplying oxygen from cylinders which only last for 30 to 40 minutes. Authority must ensure adequate and regular supply of oxygen,” Dr Gupta added.
Dr Rana said that people have the right to get oxygen, if there is no oxygen with the government, they should admit it. “Presently we have 516 Covid patients, 128 on high flow, and half an hour of oxygen is left. Again it is a crisis situation. Let the government make a Nodal officer sit in hospital to take stock of the situation,” Dr Rana said.
According to Dr Rana, SGRH has 70 cylinders for back up and only 30 were filled and now all are empty. “How can we have backup plans. Ambu bags are being used. Doctors, nurses are exhausted and morale is low,” he said.
Dr Rana claimed that vendor ‘Inox’ is also not helping at all. “Yesterday the supply which should have come at 11 p.m., came at 5.30 a.m., which also is about to finish now,” he said. Dr Rana pointed out that every few hours hospital administrations are forced to make panic calls to ensure availability of oxygen.
“Raghav Chadha, our local MLA has been there in our struggle. Now also he has promised that an oxygen tanker will soon reach Batra Hospital. But at some point he is also helpless. Some action needs to be taken urgently,” Dr Rana said.
