In a distressing news coming from the national capital, 25 “sickest patients” admitted at Sir Ganga Ram hospital died in the last 24 hours, presumably due to lack of oxygen. Sir Ganga Ram hospital sent an SOS (emergency), at around 8 AM on Thursday morning, saying how it had oxygen for only 2 hours further and more than 60 patients are at risk. Oxygen tankers were seen arriving at the hospital after 2 hours.

Statement

After the incident, Ganga Ram’s Director issued a statement saying, “25 sickest patients have died in last 24 hours. Oxygen will last another two hours. Ventilators and BiPAP (ventilators for invasive treatment) not working effectively. Resorting to manual ventilation in ICUs and Emergency. Major crisis likely. Lives of another 60 sickest patients at risk, need urgent intervention,” Ganga Ram’s Director, Medical, said in a statement in the morning.

Background

In the course of the past few days, there have been several hospitals in the nation that have raised concerns on their oxygen supply, lack of beds and lack of essential COVID-19 related medicines.

Details

Ganga Ram Hospital’s SOS warning was issued saying, “Oxygen will last another 2 hrs. Ventilators and BiPaP [non-invasive ventilation] not working effectively. Resorting to manual ventilation in ICUs [intensive care units] and ED. Major crisis likely. [The] lives of another 60 sickest patients in peril. Stop catastrophe. Need Oxygen to be airlifted urgently. Governments please help. We have warned.”

According to the reports, Ganga Ram hospital had received oxygen supply on wee hours at Wednesday. The hospital had claimed that the supply would only last for “couple of hours”.

Tweet

Contradictions among top officials

While the patients were left for gasping and met their ends, the hospital’s top officials were left contradicting with each other on the cause of deaths. While the Director of the hospital claimed that it was indeed low supply of oxygen that was the cause of death, the hospital’s chairman said that it can’t be said whether the deaths can be linked to oxygen supply’s lack or not.

Medical Director of Ganga Ram Hospital, Mr. Satendra Katoch said, “Low oxygen concentration likely contributed to deaths of critical patients. Critical patients need high pressure, stable oxygen supply.”

While hospital chairman DS Rana was quoted by NDTV saying, “I would not ascribe the deaths to oxygen shortage. A large number of patients are in serious condition in hospital. But we are facing severe oxygen shortage.”

Max Hospital sends out SOS

While Ganga Ram hospital met with a crisis, another hospital in Delhi, the Max Hospital. Issued a similar emergency on Thursday saying there’s only 1 hour of oxygen left for 700 patients that are at risk.

On Thursday morning, Max Hospital issued an apologetic tweet saying the hospital is suspending the admission of any new patients till Delhi’s oxygen supplies stabilise. It should be noted that the tweet was removed in a few minutes after being posted.

The deleted tweet said, “Less than an hour’s Oxygen supplies at Max Smart Hospital & Max Hospital Saket. Awaiting promised fresh supplies from INOX since 1 am. @drharshvardhan @msisodia @PMOIndia @ArvindKejriwal @PiyushGoyal @SatyendarJain over 700 patients admitted, need immediate assistance.”

Later, according to the DCP of South Delhi, senior officers were immediately directed to monitor the situation. Further the DCP also added that oxygen carrying vehicle had reached the Max Smart (a hospital of Max Group of hospital), and another oxygen carrying vehicle was en route to Max East West.

After the tussle, the Max hospital issued another statement which stated that it received oxygen that it needed. The hospital’s statement read, “The Delhi government has sent in 2 MT of emergency oxygen supply. 1 MT filling at Max Smart Hospital and 1 MT for Max Hospital, Saket. Between the two hospitals, we have 700 patients, including 550 COVID patients. Currently filling up at Max Smart, Hospital, our COVID only hospital.”

Centre invokes Disaster Management Act

Due to the ongoing dwindling oxygen supplies in Delhi, the Centre on Thursday invoked the Disaster Management Act. Under the act, the centre ensured that states would receive unrestricted supply of oxygen and no states would be allowed to stall or restrict oxygen carrying vehicles that are to be sent to other states.

The state imposed the act after Delhi’s Deputy CM and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia alleged that two neighboring states were preventing the movement of oxygen tankers that Delhi required.