Delhi: More than 2,000 Covid beds ready, inadequate oxygen supply still an issue

NEW DELHI: Delhi has over 2,000 beds ready for Covid-19 patients and work is on at war footing to set up 1,000 more ICU beds.
However, the acute shortage of oxygen is resulting in delay in providing the much-needed beds to patients.
The Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre at Radha Soami Satsang Beas in south Delhi’s Chhattarpur area was re-started last week with 150 oxygen beds and the bed capacity was eventually planned to be scaled up to 5,000.
However, the oxygen crisis in Delhi has meant that only around 300 out of total 500 beds are operational at the moment.
Apart from this, 500 more beds have been set up at the centre, taking the total number to 1,000 but due to lack of oxygen these beds can’t be used.
Another Covid Care Centre at the campus of Sant Nirankari Samagam Ashram in north Delhi’s Burari area also has 1,000 beds ready but not many patients are being admitted due to the shortage of oxygen.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and health minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday visited two upcoming Covid Care Centres near LNJP and GTB hospitals.
“To augment the number of ICU and oxygen beds in Delhi, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had decided to convert Ramlila Ground into a Covid Care Centre. Health minister Satyendra Jain and I visited the Ramlila Ground to take stock of the 500 ICU beds that are being set-up there,” Sisodia said.
“I’m happy to note that this work is in full swing and we hope it will be ready for citizens within the next week,” he said.
Sisodia tweeted that work is going on a war footing for setting up the 500 ICU beds and also said that the Delhi salutes everyone involved in the construction of the Covid hospital in such a short time by working day and night.

Jain also tweeted that work is going on in war footing for the combined 1,000 ICU beds coming up near LNJP and GTB hospitals. He said that the addition of these 1,000 ICU beds will bring a lot of respite for Covid-19 patients who are in a serious condition.