Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has said that some hospitals in the city are running out of oxygen completely and that they have no options left. Sisodia said that the city government has been making internal arrangement for now, but it will become tough to save lives after some time.
He alleged that some states trying to take control of national capital's share of medical oxygen. "UP, Haryana cops blocking Delhi's oxygen supply," the AAP leader said and urged the Centre to ensure supply even if that requires taking paramilitary help.
Meanwhile, Saroj Super Specialty Hospital, dedicated to COVID-19, has approached the Delhi High Court seeking directions for immediate supply of oxygen for seriously ill patients as it has run out of it. The plea has been listed for hearing before a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli at 3 pm today.
The petition sought direction to the Centre, Delhi government and Inox, which supplies oxygen to hospitals in Delhi, to immediately supply 3000 cubic metre of oxygen and continue the same on a daily basis during the current COVID-19 wave.
Currently, 70 patients are critical and in intensive care and 48 patients are on invasive and non-invasive ventilator support and need high flow oxygen. The waiting list has at least 172 patients with 64 of them critical with high oxygen support requirement, the hospital said.
The Delhi High Court had on Wednesday night directed the Centre to beg, borrow or steal or do whatever to supply medical oxygen to hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Earlier today, CM Avind Kejriwal said that the Delhi government is making efforts to airlift its enhanced quota of oxygen supply from Odisha as several city hospitals reported shortage of oxygen amid rising cases of coronavirus.
Kejriwal also thanked the Centre and the high court for their efforts towards raising Delhi's oxygen quota for treating COVID 19 patients, and said supplies have started reaching the national capital. He also urged the Central government and Haryana government to facilitate "smooth passage" to vehicles carrying medical oxygen to Delhi.
He said Delhi had a daily quota of 378 MT of medical oxygen that has been increased to 480 MT by the Centre but more supplies are needed as according to estimates Delhi needs 700 MT of oxygen daily.
Delhi recorded 24,638 fresh COVID-19 cases and 249 deaths due to the viral disease on Wednesday while the positivity rate stood at 31.28 per cent, meaning almost every third sample tested positive.
READ MORE: Making efforts to airlift oxygen from Odisha: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
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