Oxygen crisis continues as SOS calls sent out whole day

New Delhi: Delhi on Saturday was in chaos as major hospitals sent out SOS saying they are short of oxygen. With Batra Hospital losing 12 people in a span of a few hours as oxygen was not available, others fearing the same fate sent out emergency SOS.

Hospital officials were meanwhile struggling for oxygen, while their pleas were going unheard. At Janak Puri's Bhagat Hospital SOS were sent two times, however no help came. "We have 81 covid patients at the hospital, out of which 68 are on continued oxygen supply while five are on ventilator support and two are on high level oxygen supply," Mahim Bhagat, Chief Executive Officer at the hospital told Millennium Post.

The hospital said that it was at the last brim, which will get over soon. "I have called all authorities but to no accord. Either no one is responding or the SOS message is going unheard. I have no idea where to go and what to do at this moment," he added. No supply had reached the hospital till late evening.

Ganga Ram Hospital, which till last week was struggling with oxygen, again sent out a SOS Saturday evening. There are 560 covid patients at the hospital, according to hospital officials. However, oxygen was provided to the hospital in a span of few hours.

Meanwhile, Delhi government Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital had run out of liquid medical oxygen supply. The hospital was trying to manage by reducing the oxygen pressure. 350 patients admitted in the hospital. After which the hospital received 2MT of oxygen supply.

Delhi's GTB Hospital had also sent out a SOS. The hospital has more than 400 patients on oxygen support. Oxygen trucks reached the hospital few hours after the SOS.

"We have to deal with this daily. Half the time, we try to arrange the oxygen supply, while our patients are struggling to breathe," a doctor from Ganga Ram said.

Small hospitals and nursing homes that are tending to covid and non-covid patients both are struggling with oxygen supply. At Jamia Nagar's Batla Hospital, patients are struggling with oxygen supply with hospital administration reaching out to volunteers for supply. "We are a gynecology centric hospital and tend to pregnant women. If there is a covid positive woman, we do not refer her anywhere else. There are situations and cases where women and the child need oxygen, which have not been able to procure and are struggling every day," Dr. Adil who works at the hospital said.

Meanwhile, World Brain Hospital in Janakpuri said it has exhausted its oxygen supply. The administration said that out of 18 patients admitted, eight were shifted to some other place.

Patient's attendants were also being asked to arrange cylinders as Hospital's supply has exhausted completely. "We are running short of oxygen so kindly shift your patient to some other hospital or arrange for oxygen supply…we are still trying to procure oxygen but not sure…," message from the hospital said.

A child care institution in North East district was provided with 12 oxygen cylinders after children living there were finding trouble in breathing.

As per DCPCR two children were in need of oxygen cylinders. 65 was the total strength of the children home. "I have spoken to the Superintendent, they currently have 5 cylinders. I have already flagged it to the authorities concerned for refilling of their empty cylinders," said Anurag Kundu, Chairperson, DCPCR. He further said now the children Home has 12 oxygen cylinders. They will keep a track of the situation for the next three weeks.