Centre responds to CM Arvind Kejriwal's appeal, sends fresh batch of oxygen supply to top Delhi hospitals

Representational Image (Credit: PTI)

New Delhi: Amid a massive surge in COVID-19 cases, concerns over oxygen supply for patients suffering from coronavirus continues to haunt the national capital’s hospitals on Wednesday (April 21). 

Some major government and private hospitals in Delhi received fresh stock of medical oxygen in the early hours of Wednesday, averting a crisis just in time, according to officials.

A day after Delhi hospitals reported an acute shortage of oxygen supply in the high court and political leaders including Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia appealed the Centre to supply oxygen cylinders to the COVID hospitals in the national capital, over 4500 cubic metres of oxygen were supplied by a private vendor and 6000 cubic meters by Inox Air to Sri Ganga Ram Hospital in the national capital. Additionally, 10 tons of oxygen was supplied to LNJP Hospital as well. 

These oxygen tanks arrived at Delhi hospitals late on Tuesday (April 20) after the city reported it had only hours of oxygen supply left. An official at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital confirmed that a truck carrying oxygen from a firm reached them around 1:30 am.

“4500 cubic metres of oxygen supplied by a private vendor last night, 6000 cubic meters by Inox Air. The total requirement at present is 11,000 cubic meters. Supply should last till 9 am tomorrow. Indian Oxygen Ltd & Inox promised to refill tanks during the day,” Ganga Ram Hospital stated. 

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Tuesday urged the Centre "with folded hands" to provide medical oxygen to Delhi and his deputy Manish Sisodia said there will be chaos in the city if the stocks are not replenished by Wednesday morning.

Amid the worsening COVID-19 situation, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Anil Baijal are scheduled to hold a meeting at 11 AM today to discuss the issue of oxygen cylinders. 

“Most hospitals in Delhi have only eight to 12 hours of oxygen left. We have been asking the Centre to increase its supply for the last seven days. There will be chaos in Delhi if hospitals do not get enough oxygen by Wednesday morning,” Sisodia had tweeted in Hindi, along with a note.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had sent an SOS to Union minister Piyush Goyal at 10:20 in the night on Tuesday, saying "oxygen at GTB Hospital may not last beyond 4 hrs".

"More than 500 corona patients on oxygen. Pl help @PiyushGoyal to restore oxygen supply to avert major crises," he tweeted on Tuesday night. 

Meanwhile, Delhi recorded 277 deaths in the last 24 hours on Tuesday evening, the highest since the pandemic began over a year ago, and 28,395 new cases of COVID-19.