Rising Cases of Corona in Patna Causes Acute Shortage of Oxygen Cylinders

Rising Cases of Corona in Patna Causes Acute Shortage of Oxygen Cylinders

   

PATNA: A majority of hospitals in the state capital are facing an acute shortage of medical 

oxygen cylinders

 as Covid-19 cases surge in Bihar amid the second wave of the pandemic. 

Private hospitals claimed that the demand for liquid oxygen has doubled in the past couple of weeks as more and more patients need oxygen support while manufacturers are scrambling to plug the gap in the supply and transportation of the life-saving item.

Due to the acute shortage, most private hospitals are not able to admit critically ill patients. Some hospitals are even asking family members of critically ill patients to take them elsewhere.

        On Thursday, a private hospital at Khemnichak asked the family members of 30 of its Covid

 ward patients to take them to other hospitals as they are running short of 

oxygen supply

.

        Dr Santosh Kumar, the director of Ford Hospital, told this newspaper that they are helpless and were forced to discharge 30 patients who needed oxygen support.

      

“We have asked the health department, civil surgeon and 

Patna

 DM about the urgent need for oxygen cylinders, but no intimation has come from their side,” Kumar said.

     Pankaj Kumar Mehta administrator and nodal officer for Covid at the Medizone Hospital, Kankerbagh, said 90% of hospitals in Patna are facing an acute shortage of oxygen supply. “We have clubbed with three other hospitals to provide oxygen to the critical patients. But in no time, we will also run out of oxygen supply as the demand is increasing every day,” he said.   

        

Abhijeet Sinha, who hails from Buxar, said his mother who tested positive about a week ago was being treated at a private hospital in Patna. “The hospital administration has asked us to vacate. Where would I take my mother as she is in dire need of oxygen,” he asked and added that he had contacted 4-5 hospitals but none was ready to admit her as they too don't have enough oxygen supply.

    A resident of Saguna Mor, Abhishek Ranjan, said the state government needs to intervene as Samay Hospital administration has asked the families of 75 Covid patients to transfer them to other hospitals given the shortage of oxygen cylinders. “They say there is no oxygen supply available and asking relatives to discharge their patients. My father needs oxygen and I don’t know what to do,” said Ranjan.

      “I have tried every means and contacts but failed to arrange an oxygen cylinder for my mother. The hospital has asked us to arrange the oxygen as they are running short of supply,” said Namita Sinha, a resident of Ashiana Colony.

     Sumit Kumar, a businessman, said he lost his uncle as he didn’t get oxygen on time. “The whole city of Patna has run out of oxygen supply,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.

(Source: Times of India)