The hospital’s medical director said in a statement on Friday that twenty-five patients died in the last 24 hours at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi.
Even as many other hospitals in the National Capital sent panic notices about their diminishing oxygen supplies on Thursday, the hospital declined to state if the deaths were caused by a lack of oxygen. After Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia blamed police forces in two neighbouring states for blocking inter-state movement of tankers carrying oxygen, the Centre invoked the Disaster Management Act to ensure its unregulated availability.
“Oxygen will be available for another 2 hours. Bipap [non-invasive ventilation] and ventilators are ineffective. In ICUs [intensive care units] and emergency rooms, manual breathing is used. A major crisis is very likely. Another 60 sickest patients’ lives are in jeopardy. Off the disaster. Oxygen must be airlifted immediately. Please, governments, assist. We have warned, “The Sir Ganga Ram Hospital issued an SOS on Friday morning.”
According to police, no oxygen shortage or contingency occurred in the hospital. According to them, the hospital had enough oxygen to last three hours.
A tanker carrying 2,000 cubic metres of water arrived at the hospital at 9:20 a.m. It necessitates between 9,500 and 11,000 cubic metres of water every day.
“Oxygen deficiency cannot be blamed for the deaths; a considerable percentage of patients are in critical care. In a tweet, Dr. DS Rana, chairman (board of management), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, “We are facing a severe oxygen shortage.”
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital workers accompanied an oxygen tanker that had been trapped in Rohini due to the driver’s lack of knowledge of the road.
The hospital did not make any distress calls demanding a green corridor, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Jasmeet Singh.
According to police, the hospital told them that they had at least three hours’ worth of supplies and that one crate was on the way.
To be sure, not every car has access to a green hallway. Only after making emergency calls should police have it. Oxygen cars should not come to a halt.
A contact officer was stationed at the hospital by the police. In the event of an emergency, one official from the district administration will stay in touch.
