Thorough probe needed in oxygen related deaths in 2nd wave: Sisodia

At the peak of the last Covid wave in Delhi, the city recorded around 28,300 cases in late April. Around that time, at least 31 Covid patients are believed to have died due to oxygen shortage in two hospitals in the Capital

Delhi’s deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said a thorough probe was needed into deaths related to oxygen shortage during the last Covid-19 wave in the Capital, and asserted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government shall soon share details in this regard with the Centre.

Delhi’s deputy CM Manish Sisodia said all states should be given enough time to “investigate” oxygen related deaths during the 2nd wave of Covid pandemic in the country. (ANI)

“We faced a major oxygen crisis during the last wave of Covid-19. As a government, we are taking all steps to ensure that it doesn’t happen again in case of potential future waves. But we appeal to the Central government to take the issue seriously too. I have come across news reports today that said that the Central government has claimed to have sought response on oxygen deaths from 13 states so far of which only one has accepted deaths caused by oxygen shortage. We have also learnt that states were given time till August 13 to respond to the Centre’s queries on the issue. However, we (Delhi government) have received no letter from the Central government with any query on oxygen deaths,” said Sisodia in a video press briefing that was live streamed.

At its peak, Delhi recorded around 28,300 cases in a day and a positivity rate exceeding 36% on April 20 and 22 respectively. Around that time, at least 31 Covid patients are believed to have died due to oxygen shortage in two hospitals. Several deaths linked to oxygen shortage were reported from other states too around this time. However, a political blame game ensued between the Centre and the Opposition when the Union government told Parliament that no state had identified oxygen shortage as the cause of deaths caused by the second wave of the pandemic.

“We accept that the oxygen crisis happened during the last wave of the pandemic. And without any probe it is difficult to say if that has caused deaths. I am going deeper into whether it has or has not. I am stressing on the importance of thorough investigation into cases of deaths that can be related to oxygen shortage,” Sisodia said.

On May 4, the Delhi government told Delhi high court that an expert committee could not ascertain whether 21 deaths at the capital’s Jaipur Golden Hospital had happened because of oxygen shortage. The leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that runs the Central government later cited this submission to accuse the Opposition of hypocrisy on the matter of oxygen-related deaths.

The AAP government in Delhi criticised the Central government saying it did not let the city government probe such matters by setting up a larger expert committee. Health minister Satyandar Jain had pointed out that the submission in court on deaths in Jaipur Golden hospital was based on “preliminary” findings and the matter needed more investigation.

Sisodia on Tuesday added that all states should be given enough time to “investigate” such matters. “Without that, how can they draw conclusions. Though we have not been asked yet, we have decided to share such details with the central government very soon. And I appeal that it should be made public along with details of other states,” he said.