Noisy scenes at Covid care facility
NEW DELHI: Several Covid-19 patients and their relatives were seen outside the Covid care facility in south Delhi’s Chhatarpur — which was reopened on Monday with 150 oxygen beds — seeking on-site admissions and complaining that government helplines were not responding to their distress calls.
The ongoing Covid-19 surge in the city has left hospitals overburdened, and people have been frantically searching for beds with oxygen support. The Chhatarpur centre, which, according to a government order, will admit Covid-19 patients on being referred by a district surveillance officer (DSO), witnessed some heated arguments on Monday when police stopped patients seeking on-site admissions.
The facility was launched on Monday morning. In a video press briefing, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said: “I reviewed arrangements in the Radha Soami Satsang Beas Covid facility today... Now it has 150 oxygen beds. In the next two days, it will be increased to 500 oxygen beds. In another four days after that, it will have 2,000 beds and, eventually, 5,000 beds. The centre will soon have 200 ICU beds as well.”
The oxygen beds, doctors, medical staff and paramedics are arranged by ITBP, and the Delhi government is entrusted with bearing the cost of boarding and lodging of health care staff, and managing admissions.
Some patients and their relatives who were denied entry were seen having heated arguments with police.
“The oxygen level has dropped to 87. The patient needs a bed. We are here since morning and dialling helplines... We need help,” said Anoop Kumar Yadav, who had come with his brother-in-law Pradeep Yadav, a Covid-19 patient.
A senior Delhi Police officer, who did not wish to be identified, said: “Initially there was some confusion and chaos... The issue was later resolved.” Spokespersons of the Delhi government and Union home ministry did not respond to requests for comment.