Don’t hold us responsible for deaths: Delhi’s Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute flags oxygen shortage

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New Delhi: Joining the growing list of hospitals that have flagged scarcity of oxygen required to treat COVID-19 patients, Delhi’s Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute raised similar concerns on Thursday (April 22).

Located in Paschim Vihar, the hospital has written a letter to the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, Health Minister and DDMA seeking immediate assistance for procurement of oxygen.

“As on date our total requirement of oxygen is 6000 litres per day, whereas we are getting very erratic supply of oxygen for some reason or the other,” read the letter.

The hospital has requested the government not to hold them responsible for the death of patients.

Read the letter here:

To,

Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Delhi

Hon’ble Health Minister of Delhi

Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi

Nodal Officer, DDMA

Sir,

We, at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi have been providing medical services for one and all for last 16 years.  During the pandemic in 2020 we gave our best possible services to save the lives of the citizens of Delhi.  Now in the 2nd wave of corona virus in 2021 we have been providing our services to corona positive patients with the best of our ability.  As on date we have 220 corona positive patients out of which 81 are being treated in ICU.  The ICU patients with corona positive infection are seriously ill and need lot of oxygen for ventilators & NIV.  Other patients admitted in wards are also in demand of Oxygen and therefore the consumption of our oxygen has increased manifold.

Unfortunately, as the consumption has increased, the supply of oxygen has reduced.  On the night of 19th April 2020 we did not get oxygen supply in time and therefore during the night hours we had to arrange oxygen cylinders from various hospitals located in the vicinity.  Inspite of our best efforts and collection of oxygen cylinders from other hospitals, we were left with supply of only one hour.  But with the help of Delhi Police a green corridor was created and oxygen tankers could reach the hospital in time and therefore the lives of patients who were critically ill could be saved.  Had these oxygen tankers not reached hospital in time, we would not have been able to save life of several patients and the patients would have been in danger and we were in no position to do anything.

As on date our total requirement of oxygen is 6000 litres per day, whereas we are getting very erratic supply of oxygen for some reason or the other.  As on 22.04.2021 after waiting whole night we got 1114 litres of oxygen at 6:00 a.m.

In view of above, we kindly request you to kindly ensure that oxygen as per our requirement is supplied uninterruptedly failing which we will not be able to give the medical services to the corona positive patients admitted in our hospital.

In case it is not found feasible to supply the oxygen as per our requirement, then we may be permitted to discharge our patients and send them to other govt. or private hospitals so that their lives are not put in danger due to lack of oxygen. 

We would also request you not to make the hospital responsible in case we are not able to treat our patients due to non-supply of oxygen and if something unfortunate happens including death of the patients of those who are put on ventilators or high flow oxygen.  Inspite of all above we assure you that we will continue to provide the facilities to the corona positive patients to the best of our ability but with an assurance from your side that we get oxygen supply from your side uninterruptedly.

Thanks and Regards

Dr. Anand Bansal

Medical Director