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Many smaller, private hospitals shut operation due to lack of O2 supply
Gurugram A day after eight people died in a private hospital due to shortage of oxygen, at least six other smaller, private facilities have discharged all patients and shut their operations, claiming that the municipal corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is not paying heed to their repeated requests for help
Gurugram A day after eight people died in a private hospital due to shortage of oxygen, at least six other smaller, private facilities have discharged all patients and shut their operations, claiming that the municipal corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is not paying heed to their repeated requests for help.
The MCG commissioner and his team are responsible for management of oxygen supply in the city.
Swati Rathore, director of Kriti Hospital in Sector 56, said that they shut their operations and discharged 18 patients after they were not supplied oxygen on Saturday. “People easily blame hospital administration and doctors for their negligent approach but how can we run operations without oxygen. The MCG commissioner does not reply to messages or attend calls. The deputy commissioner has helped us arrange 20 cylinders and is trying to support us, but we need oxygen regularly to run operations, so we have stopped our operations,” she said.
Asha Devi, director of Mamta Hospital, said they have stopped taking fresh admissions as they have not received a single oxygen cylinder for the last four days. “There has been mismanagement at refilling stations with people with connections getting supplies out of turn while others are waiting for more than eight hours to get oxygen cylinders. We have stopped taking Covid-19 patients as we can’t save lives without oxygen,” she said.
In the absence of continuous oxygen supply, many doctors said they had to turn away new patients and ask families of existing patients to arrange for oxygen cylinders to continue treatment.
Some hospitals have put up notices announcing no new Covid admissions at their centres.
Dr Prithvi Raj Aryan, director of Aryan Hospital on Old Railway Road, said that the hospital is not in a position to take new admissions. “We have placed a notice that there is no out-patient department, no beds and no oxygen on Saturday. Since Thursday I have been requesting officials to provide me with oxygen for my patients, but we have not received a single cylinder until now. The situation is getting out of control, families create havoc and staff have to run away to save themselves,” he said, adding that the hospital, which has 70 beds, is occupied by Covid patients.
Umkal hospital in DLF Phase 2 said its staff members were standing in queue for the last 12 hours but were yet to receive any oxygen. They said their requests to the MCG have also gone unanswered.
Around 10.13 am on Sunday, Park group of hospitals said the liquid oxygen allocated to Park Hospital in Gurugram was hijacked by some other hospital. “More than 140 patients’ lives are in danger,” it tweeted, asking for help.
At 10.43 am, the hospital tweeted saying that they have received about less than one tonne of oxygen. “What happens after this? We are always under huge stress. Administration is constantly pressuring us to admit patients, but oxygen supply remains erratic,” it said.
Other hospitals such as Signature Hospital in Sector 37 D, Center of Diabetes and Allied Sciences (CDAS) in Sector 47 and Sethi Hospital in Model Town have also stopped fresh Covid admissions due to non-availability of oxygen.
Amandeep Chauhan, district drugs controller, said there is adequate oxygen supply now and they have ensured all hospitals have received their share on Sunday. “We have received 14 metric tonnes (MT) from Panipat and 20 MT from Bhiwadi on Sunday and more is expected by tonight. The situation is improvising and will be streamlined this week,” he said.
Vinay Pratap Singh, commissioner, MCG, said a counter was placed at the refilling stations in Manesar for refilling oxygen cylinders. “Covid-positive patients, carrying test reports, will be given oxygen cylinders,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, a few hospitals have also demanded extra security after staff and doctors of a hospital were assaulted and premises vandalised after the death of eight patients at the facility in Sector 56 on Friday night.
Dr Aryan said his hospital has requested for protection to prevent any untoward incidents.
On Sunday, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said he held a meeting with the deputy commissioner and the MCG commissioner and directed them to ensure a smooth oxygen supply to all the hospitals in the district. “Oxygen allocation will be made strictly for institutions that have filled up and submitted Google forms. Incomplete forms will be rejected. In case of doubts, they can drop a message with their contact numbers at covid19gurugram@gmail.com, and the district administration will reply... There are 160 oxygen concentrators in the city hospitals,” he said, adding that the situation in the city has improved.
