O2 shortage: Delhi hospitals cry for help

New Delhi: Battling an acute shortage of oxygen, some hospitals in Delhi on Sunday sent out desperate SOS calls to authorities to replenish their dwindling stocks, with one healthcare facility even requesting the government to shift out its patients.

Madhukar Rainbow Children's Hospital in Malviya Nagar on Sunday sounded an alarm about their depleting stocks around noon, saying 50 people, including four newborns, were "at risk". The hospital does not have a liquid oxygen storage tank and depends on oxygen cylinders from a private vendor.

"It has become a daily fire-fight in the absence of a continuous supply. We require around 125 oxygen cylinders a day," the official said.

The hospital said it received 20 oxygen cylinders around 1:30 pm with the help of government authorities.

By Sunday night, the hospital had announced it would be stopping new admissions requiring oxygen or ventilator support, again raising alarm that it would run out of supplies after 11 pm.

Aakash Healthcare in Dwarka appealed to government authorities to shift patients to other facilities so that they can be saved .

"CRY FOR HELP: Received only 5 #oxygen cylinders after running around the entire day, not more than 60 mins left to save lives of more than 250 patients," a tweet posted from the hospital's handle read.

In the evening, Yateesh Wahaal, CEO of Vimhans Hospital in South Delhi, requested urgent support to save precious lives. He said the hospital supplier has been changed as per a government order. The new supplier is refusing to supply and doesn't have stock for next 7 days to meet our requirement .

Around 135 patients are on oxygen support. Of these, 94 are in the ICU, he said. Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research also took to social media seeking help from authorities."Forty-five COVID patients admitted. Need liquid oxygen supply by 5 pm. Help!! it tweeted. At 6:10 pm, the hospital tweeted it received emergency oxygen cylinders that are expected to provide some air for 2-3 hours. Hanging by a thin thread. Need LMO on emergency basis .

The Hakim Abdul Hamid Centenary Hospital, where 110 patients are admitted, sounded an alarm about depleting oxygen supplies around 2 pm.

"The city government is responsible for this situation. The supplies have become erratic ever since the government has taken over," Dr Sunil Kohli, the head of the department of medicine, said.

A tanker carrying oxygen reached the facility around 6 pm. Dr Deepali Gupta from Triton Hospital in Kalkaji said they have been struggling to arrange oxygen for their neonatal intensive care unit.

"We have been scrambling for oxygen for over a week. A major tragedy may occur if a continuous supply is not ensured soon," she said.

An official of MD City Hospital in Model Town said lives of 140 patients were in danger due to irregular supply of oxygen.

Around 4:30 pm, the hospital said it had exhausted its liquid medical oxygen stock and was using the back up.

There has been no update on the situation so far.

Meanwhile, the BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital announced the installation of an "oxygen generator and a high-pressure cylinder filling system which will provide around 15 per cent additional back-up to the existing medical oxygen demand at the hospital in the form of a continuous feed".

In addition, Jeevan Anmol, Jaipur Golden, Gandhi and Batra hospitals also sent out SOSes on Sunday saying they would run out of supplies in hours. On Saturday, 12 COVID-19 patients, including a senior doctor, had died at south Delhi's Batra Hospital after the facility ran out of medical oxygen for around 80 minutes in the afternoon.