Hospitals turn theatres of death

| | NEW DELHI
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Hospitals turn theatres of death

Saturday, 24 April 2021 | Chandan Prakash | NEW DELHI

Hospitals turn theatres of death

Delhi gasps for oxygen; 25 suffocate in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital

Amid uncertainty about the resumption of adequate supply of oxygen to hospitals in the city, lives of thousands of people infected with Covid-19 are dependent on the mercy of the God as various city hospitals are left with depleting stock that may not last for even hours. 

The shortage of oxygen has created chaos in the national Capital as the relatives of patients are trying everything possible to get oxygen cylinder; however, many among them have failed to get it since its supply to private and Government hospitals has been hampered.

Various hospitals in the city kept sending SOS messages on Friday expressing concern over shortage of oxygen.  The situation at Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) hospital, said  Dr H K Mahajan, Head of Anaesthesia, is that the hospital has oxygen supply left for only one hour and there are hundreds of patients at hospital needing oxygen support.

“ISIC has been desperately trying to arrange oxygen cylinders since morning, as a result of which 18 oxygen cylinders were arranged till the evening which will help us treat the patients for now. However this was not enough and we are facing a grave crisis,” Dr Mahajan added.

Considering the gravity of the situation, doctors at the hospitals came out with the strategy of sharing one cylinder for two patients using connectors, he said.

“Also, we are now shifting the patients to the hospital’s central supply of oxygen and again with connectors, sharing one central supply connection with two patients. This should work for now. We are in constant touch with the Government and our suppliers to ensure availability,” he said.

Max Healthcare has stopped new admissions in all its hospitals in Delhi-NCR due to low oxygen stocks. “We regret to inform you that we are suspending any new patient admissions in all our hospitals in Delhi-NCR till oxygen supplies stabilise,” Max Healthcare said in a statement.

 “SOS - Less than an hour’s oxygen supplies at Max Smart Hospital & Max Hospital Saket. Awaiting promised fresh supplies from INOX since 1 am. Over 700 patients admitted, need immediate assistance,” it said in a tweet.

“We have received emergency supplies at Max Saket and Max Smart which will last another 2 hours. We are still awaiting more supplies,” it said in another tweet.

Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals, said in a tweet, “Hospitals continue to gasp for breath despite govt orders being issued. It’s now becoming an hourly challenge for many hospitals. Every minute of delay on commitments made can cost lives!!”.

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital that bore the brunt of this criminal apathy when 25 critical patients died a day before has oxygen left for only half to 45 minutes on Friday.

Shaken by the loss of innocent lives, authorities scrambled a tanker of oxygen to the beleaguered hospital administration.

Dr Kousar A Shah, COO - Aakash Healthcare, Dwarka said that the hospital was left with oxygen for one hr and a half and we had 221 Covid patients out of which 200+ patients require oxygen.

“To save patients, the hospital administration succeeded to manage the time by refilling our oxygen cylinders from various small vendors in Delhi. We have just received a liquid oxygen tanker which will last for 14 hours,” he added.

Explaining the situation at the hospital, Dr Kousar turned emotional saying that doctors are fighting to save lives without ammunition.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday raised an alarm that a “big tragedy” may happen due to oxygen shortage in hospitals. The Chief Minister said the Centre should take over all oxygen plants through the Army.

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