‘Oxygen langar’ offers a breath of life to many missing out on hospital care
NEW DELHI: When the oxygen saturation level of her father started dipping below 75 on Thursday, Swati, a Safdarjung Enclave resident, made multiple visits and calls to hospitals to secure a bed but her efforts were in vain.
On Friday, she heard about an “oxygen langar” for Covid patients at Gurdwara Damdama Sahib in Nizamuddin East.
“Despite my father’s oxygen levels dipping to 75, we could not find a bed in any hospital. Calls to vendors for oxygen cylinders didn’t yield any results either. After trying everywhere, we decided to come here,” said Swati on Friday.
Amid a devastating fourth Covid wave, the Gurdwara Damdama
Sahib offers a ray of hope to at least a few.
Started earlier this week, the service runs 24×7 and can currently cater to a maximum of 50 people a day.
It runs out of a tent placed in the parking lot of the gurdwara, with seating arrangements for patients.
If the patient is unable to move, volunteers administer oxygen in parked cars.
Balwinder Singh, a volunteer, said that patients can walk in any time.
“Currently, we have 10 oxygen cylinders at our disposal. As long as we have oxygen with us, we will help people 24x7... Late last night around 2am, we ran out of oxygen and were only able to restart the service today (Friday) afternoon,” said Singh.
Similar “oxygen langars” are operational in other parts of the capital as well.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, president, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), said, “We are scaling up our efforts at Damdama Sahib and making arrangements for 100 beds. Additionally, a 250 facility is ready at Rakab Ganj Sahib. We have procured 100 oxygen concentrators from the USA for these facilities.”
Delhi government spokesperon did not respond to queries seeking comment.