New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today rapped the Centre on the ongoing oxygen crisis in the city, asking “why it was not waking up to reality”. The Court observed this while hearing an urgent plea regarding the oxygen shortage at Max Hospital. Earlier in the day, it was reported that two of Max Hospitals at Shalimar Bagh and Patparganj were facing oxygen shortage and left with limited supplies.
“How is this that the govt is so oblivious to the ground reality? We can’t have people dying? Yesterday, we were told you were trying to import. What happened to that, HC asks. This is an emergency of such grave nature,” the High Court said.
The court then directed the Centre to immediately takeover the production of oxygen from steel and petroleum plants to supply for medical use. The Court also asked the Centre to provide safe passage for the supply of oxygen from the place of production to the place of delivery.
“Delhi High Court says our concern is not just for Delhi but all parts of the country.”
Max Hospitals in its petition stated that its Patparganj hospital has currently only 3 hours of supply of oxygen, and if oxygen runs out, the life of 400 patients including 262 covid patients will be under threat.
Delhi is facing a shortage of oxygen and beds in the middle of the raging Covid-19 pandemic. Reports of oxygen crisis are coming from several hospitals in the national capital. Over 1000 patients are likely to be affected if replenishment of oxygen is not done on time. While the assistant director at St. Stephens Hospital called it in an “emergency” as the hospital is left with the limited oxygen supply of 1-2 hours, Managing Director of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals termed the situation as “grim” asserting that if oxygen doesn’t arrive by midnight, then it can escalate into a serious crisis. Read Full Story Here