With several private and city government hospitals in Delhi running low on medical oxygen for Covid-19 patients, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced that the Centre has enhanced the national capital’s oxygen quota. “Central govt has increased Delhi’s quota of oxygen. We r very grateful to centre for this (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted.
Delhi’s quota has been increased to 480 MTs. The state had, however, demanded 700 MTs daily.
Hours before this announcement, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had alleged in a press briefing that an official of the Haryana government stopped oxygen supply to Delhi from a plant in Faridabad. Several hospitals in Delhi also alleged that the Haryana government was not allowing vendors to supply oxygen to them and there is only limited stock left as hundreds of coronavirus patients battled for their life in these healthcare facilities.
Kejriwal had on Tuesday urged the Centre “with folded hands” to provide medical oxygen to Delhi and his deputy Manish Sisodia said there will be chaos in the city if the stocks are not replenished by Wednesday morning. ICU beds in Delhi hospitals were also filling up fast amid a surge in coronavirus infections.
Only 30 of them were available for coronavirus patients in government and private hospitals across the national capital at 10 pm, according to data from the city government’s Delhi Corona app. “Serious oxygen crisis persists in Delhi,” Kejriwal tweeted, adding some hospitals are left with just a few hours of stock. In another tweet, he said, “I urge the Central government with folded hands to urgently provide oxygen to Delhi.” “Most hospitals in Delhi have only eight to 12 hours of oxygen left. We have been asking the Centre to increase its supply for the last seven days. There will be chaos in Delhi if hospitals do not get enough oxygen by Wednesday morning,” Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.
He also posted a note on Twitter mentioning the status of oxygen stock in various hospitals. According to the note, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Burari Hospital, Ambedkar Hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, B L Kapoor Hospital and Max Hospital in Patparganj were among those having only eight to 12 hours of oxygen left at 6 PM.
Health Minister Satyendar Jain sent an SOS to Union minister Piyush Goyal at 10:20 pm, saying oxygen at GTB Hospital may not last beyond 4 hrs. More than 500 corona patients on oxygen. Pl help @PiyushGoyal to restore oxygen supply to avert major crisis. According to Jain, Delhi got 240 metric tonnes of oxygen on Monday and 365 MT on Tuesday against the requirement of 700 MT per day.
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said its oxygen stock would last till 1 am. The hospital has 485 COVID beds, of which 475 are occupied. Around 120 patients are currently in the ICU. Its chairman D S Rana said, “6,000 cubic meters of it is left, which at the rate of current consumption will last till 1 am. Need urgent replenishment.” Kejriwal had on Sunday termed shortage of oxygen for coronavirus patients an “emergency”. He had also written to Union Minister of Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal, seeking his intervention in the matter. On Monday, the Delhi government set up a 24-member committee to ensure “rational” use of oxygen for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. An order issued by the Health Department said the ‘Oxygen Audit Committee’ will identify areas of wasteful consumption. The consumption of oxygen has undergone a quantum increase with the admission of a large number of serious patients who require oxygen support, it said. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said the Centre should be “sensitive and active” in handling the situation so that there is no clamour among states over its supply.
Sisodia, who is also the nodal minister for COVID-19 management in the national capital, said he is getting SOS calls on oxygen shortage from all hospitals. He also alleged that people involved in supplying oxygen are being stopped in different states. “Getting SOS calls on shortage of oxygen from all hospitals. People involved in supplying oxygen are being stopped at different states. To ensure that there is no ‘jungle raj’ among states over the supply of oxygen, the Central government should be very sensitive and active to handle the situation,” he tweeted in Hindi. Also, of the 4,585 ICU beds for coronavirus patients in government and private hospitals across Delhi, only 30 were available at 8 pm.
Only 2,426 COVID-19 beds are available at hospitals in Delhi at present, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Tuesday and assured people that the city government was increasing the number of beds at a fast pace. The details of the available beds can be found on the Delhi Corona app, he told reporters, adding the Delhi government was making efforts to increase the number of beds, and approximately 1,000-1,500 beds are being added every day.
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