New Delhi: Ganga Ram Hospital Chairman D.S. Rana on Tuesday reiterated the urgent need for oxygen for Covid patients admitted in his hospital’s ICU, warning they could be in jeopardy if fresh supplies were not provided urgently.
“During the day time (on Tuesday), the hospital faced tough times due to shortage of oxygen. However, we kept informing both the Centre and the Delhi government.”
“I received a call from Delhi government around 8.30 p.m. and I was assured that the Delhi government will send another vendor with oxygen soon. However, we are yet to receive oxygen so far (till 10 p.m.). Hopefully, the Delhi government will send oxygen soon,” he said.
As per his earlier statement, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital was faced with an acute shortage of oxygen, as it had only had supplies for another seven to eight hours.
According to Rana, around 120 patients in the ICU are heavily dependent on oxygen. “If we don’t get oxygen on time, then many will die,” he had warned.
The hospital has 485 Covid-19 beds and 475 of them are currently occupied.
“Only 6,000 cubic meters (of oxygen) left and the current consumption can only last till 1 a.m. Need urgent replenishment,” the hospital said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia too warned that many hospitals in Delhi will face a shortage of oxygen in the next few hours.
“In most hospitals in Delhi, oxygen is available for the next 8 to 12 hours only. We have been demanding for one week to increase the oxygen supply quota to Delhi, which the central government has to do. If oxygen does not reach the hospitals in sufficient quantity by tomorrow morning, there will be an outcry,” he said in his official Twitter handle.
Sisodia also shared a list of the current oxygen capacity in various government and private hospitals. While the DDU Hospital has 12 hours supply, it is 8 hours for Burari Hospital and the Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, 24 hours in Ambedkar Hospital, and 10-12 hours in Acharya Bhikshu Hospital.
