Sisodia urges Centre to be ‘active, sensitive’ over supply of oxygen
New Delhi, April 20: Amid fear of oxygen shortage for coronavirus patients, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said the Centre should be “sensitive and active” in handling the situation so that there is no clamour among states over its supply.
Mr Sisodia, who is also the nodal minister for Covid-19 management in the national capital, said he is getting SOS calls on oxygen shortage from all hospitals. He also alleged that people involved in supplying oxygen are being stopped in different states.
“Getting SOS calls on shortage of oxygen from all hospitals. People involved in supplying oxygen are being stopped at different states. To ensure that there is no ‘jungle raj’ among states over supply of oxygen, the Central government should be very sensitive and active in handling the situation,” he tweeted in Hindi.
Sisodia said that major Delhi government-run hospitals like DDU, Burari, Ambedkar, Deep Chandu Bandhu, Sanjay Gandhi and Acharya Bikshu have oxygen supply for the next 8-12 hours only.
According to him, oxygen stock status for several private hospitals -- B L Kapoor, Batra, Venkateshwar, Stephane''s, Gangaram and Max (Patpargunj -was only for 4-18 hours.
“In most hospitals in Delhi, oxygen is available for the next 8 to 12 hours only. We have been demanding for the one week to increase the oxygen supply quota to Delhi, which the central government has to do. If oxygen does not reach the hospitals in sufficient quantity by tomorrow morning, there will be an outcry," Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.
Hospitals in Delhi have been grappling with the depleting supply of medical oxygen amid spiralling Covid-19 cases. On Monday, the city recorded 240 coronavirus-related deaths, the highest since the pandemic began over a year ago and 23,686 cases with a positivity rate of 26.12 per cent. The city has reported 823 deaths due to the deadly virus in a matter of five days.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday urged the Centre to provide medical oxygen to Delhi, saying some hospitals are going to run out of it in a few hours. He had, on Sunday, termed the shortage of oxygen for coronavirus patients an “emergency.”
“Serious oxygen crisis persists in Delhi. I again urge the Centre to urgently provide oxygen to Delhi. Some hospitals are left with just a few hours
In most hospitals in Delhi, oxygen is available for the next 8 to 12 hours only. We have been demanding for the one week to increase the oxygen supply quota to Delhi, which the central government has to do. If oxygen does not reach the hospitals in sufficient quantity by tomorrow morning, there will be an outcry.
— Manish Sisodia, Delhi Dy CM
of oxygen,” the chief minister tweeted.
The Delhi government had on Monday set up a 24-member committee to ensure “rational” use of oxygen for treatment of Covid-19 patients.