Shortage of oxygen at some private hospitals in Karnataka's Belagavi triggers panic

BENGALURU: Panic broke out at some private COVID-19 hospitals in Belagavi on Saturday night as the oxygen supply started running out. This led to some of the patients being shifted to the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) government hospital from private hospitals even as a few NGOs arranged oxygen cylinders for patients.  

According to sources, the oxygen supply to some hospitals was running out and many hospitals were asking patients to try and arrange oxygen themselves. The scarcity was reported to the district COVID response team that has government officers, doctors, and NGO members. After receiving the distress calls that the private hospitals were in danger of running out of oxygen, a Covid support group came forward to shift the patients to BIMS.

The social workers had been receiving calls from the families of patients on Saturday night to arrange the oxygen.

Social worker Surendra Angolkar said he got a distress call from the relatives of the COVID-19 patients admitted in a private hospital on Saturday at 11 pm. 

"With the help of social worker Santosh Darekar, we arranged nine cylinders at night. On Sunday morning, we have witnessed many hospitals running out of oxygen. The elected representatives and the district authority should ensure that there should be adequate stock and supply of oxygen," he said.

Covid-19 Belagavi nodal officer Doddabasavaraju said, "There was a shortage of oxygen in some hospitals from Saturday night. We have coordinated with the suppliers from Nippani. An adequate supply of oxygen is being made and the problem would be solved by Monday morning."