Relieve me of my Duties: Bihar’s Top Hospital Superintendent Writes to Health Dept Amid Looming Oxygen Crisis

Patna: At a time when the country is dealing with ferociously rising Coronavirus cases, Bihar’s first COVID-dedicated hospital Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMHC) is grappling with oxygen shortage. Reports of shortage of oxygen support and hospital beds are coming from across the country when everyday spike in COVID cases is dangerously inching towards 3-lakh mark.

A clash also took place between a family and junior doctors in the hospital owing to shortage of oxygen support, reported Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar. Amid the tense situation, the hospital’s superintendent then wrote to the Principal Secretary of Health Department, highlighting the deteriorating situation. “The crisis is severe, the patients will die and the government will make me responsible, take action.”

In a letter addressed to the Principal Secretary, Dr. Vinod Kumar Singh levelled serious allegations against the Patna District Administration. He alleged that the administration has taken control of the stock of NMCH’s oxygen supply in the past few days, reported Bhaskar. Oxygen coming for NMCH is being sent to other hospitals, he alleged. Highlighting the disruption of oxygen supply, Singh said that patients will die if the situation doesn’t improve. He feared that he would be blamed for it. He urged to be relived from his duty before the situation got out of hand.

Bihar Coronavirus Cases

A total of 34 more COVID-19 fatalities were reported in Bihar on Saturday, taking the toll of deaths to 1722, health department bulletin said. Total 7870 new cases surfaced across the state in the last 24 hours, pushing the tally of coronavirus patients to 3,15,427, it said. Among the new deaths, 12 hailed from Patna, four from Bhagalpur, Darbhanga (3), 2 each from Bhojpur, Munger, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Siwan and Supual while one victim each belonged to Jehanabad, Khagaria and Sheohar.

Out of the 7870 new infections reported till 4 pm Saturday, 1898 belonged to capital Patna alone. Other districts from where large number of cases poured in since Friday are: Gaya with 610 cases, Muzaffarpur (541), Begusarai (326), Bhagalpur (322) and West Champaran (269). Among the overall 3,15,427 cases from start of the disease last year, Patna’s share is 70,204.