Oxygen shortage continues due to spike in serious Covid-19 cases

The increase in the number of critically ill patients at large private hospitals continues to put pressure on the oxygen distribution system in the district, despite Gurugram receiving additional oxygen stock over the past few days

The increase in the number of critically ill patients at large private hospitals continues to put pressure on the oxygen distribution system in the district, despite Gurugram receiving additional oxygen stock over the past few days.

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Against an allocated quota of 40 metric tonnes (MT) of oxygen, the district on Wednesday received around 48 MT. However, officials familiar with the development said that there is demand for 60 MT of oxygen and that the shortage of oxygen is also hampering the treatment of patients in smaller hospitals and owners of some of them said they have stopped taking new patients.

“The demand is rising exponentially as the number of serious patients is rising. We are distributing as per the demand and also to ensure there is no distress situation at any hospital. We don’t want a situation where there is an emergency,” said Yash Garg, the deputy commissioner of Gurugram.

On Wednesday, the city received oxygen from one tanker from Faridabad, one from Bhiwadi and two from the oxygen express train between Faridabad and Rourkela, while the city will receive two tankers from Panipat on Thursday morning, said officials. On Tuesday, the city had received 43 MT oxygen against a demand of 55 MT.

Last week, the Haryana government directed that hospitals with fewer than 15 beds should not admit Covid-19 patients as they did not have adequate oxygen infrastructure. However, larger hospitals are also struggling to cope with the shortage.

The management of Artemis Hospital in the city on Wednesday stopped new admissions, citing oxygen shortage, and that the policy will continue till the situation improves. “We have suspended admissions because of extremely limited oxygen supply. We will not be able to create any extra space for Covid-19 patients, even in the emergency (ward),” said an official spokesperson for Artemis Hospitals.

While larger hospitals struggled to increase the facilities of critical patients, smaller private hospitals and nursing homes called for streamlining oxygen distribution and checking overcharging.

Dr Prithvi Raj Aryan, the director of Aryan Hospital on Old Railway Road, said that they have not received oxygen supply despite a quota being fixed. “The refilling station is demanding ₹40,000 in cash apart from the payment in cheques. They are charging ₹450 per oxygen cylinders, instead of ₹250. How we will run operations if all the agencies involved demand cash? Our patients will die, but we are not responsible as we are unable to provide them with oxygen,” he said and wanted the authorities to intervene.

Even as hospitals and residents complained over malpractice at refilling facilities, the Haryana government on Wednesday ordered all district deputy commissioners to constitute a committee to oversee oxygen refillers.

M Shayin, additional chief secretary of Haryana health and family welfare department, said that they have come to know that the oxygen being delivered to refillers was often not being optimally utilised. “The committee will include an executive magistrate and police personnel,” said Shayin in the order.

The order also asked deputy commissioners to prepare a list of chronic oxygen-dependent patients and designate at least one refiller in the district to fill their cylinders. Deputy commissioners and civil surgeons were directed to assess the utilisation of oxygen at hospitals. Drug control officers will have the overall responsibility to enforce the penal provisions applicable for oxygen as a medical drug and to ensure its non-diversion, the order stated

Owners of smaller hospitals also demanded an increase in the allocation of oxygen.

Dr Swati Rathore, director, Kriti hospital in Sector 56, said that eight people had died on April 30 in her hospital due to lack of oxygen and the situation is the same at present. “I have six critical patients and one on a ventilator. We can’t keep them without oxygen but we have not received a single cylinder in the last two days. The officers from the district administration and municipal corporation are not responding to our calls and messages and we are helpless,” she said.

Administration officials said that they are doing their best to ensure supply, despite a shortage.

Garg said, “We received 48 MT on Wednesday while the demand is almost 60 MT. We are trying hard to meet the demand somehow and the distress calls have reduced in the past two to three days.”

He said that wherever the hospitals have flagged emergencies, oxygen was supplied.

He said that to resolve the problem faced by smaller hospitals, a fixed quota has been set for 72 hospitals. “I have also allocated gas to Star Gases in Manesar for issuing the same to individuals who are isolated at home,” Garg said, adding that he had not received any complaint regarding overcharging.

A few private hospitals said that the situation improved after the district administration allocated a fixed supply for smaller hospitals. “We have been allotted 10 cylinders daily by the administration and we are getting the same. The authorities have finally woken to the problems faced by nursing homes that form the backbone of the city’s healthcare system,” said Dr Shyam Lal Kohli, managing director, Chirag Hospital.