Oxygen vehicles not hospitals, good only for Golden Hour aid, say experts

BENGALURU: Meena (name changed) had brought her father from Kanakapura to Shanthinagar looking for oxygen, but was struggling to find an ICU bed in a hospital. With his oxygen level dipping and in immediate need of medical attention, the ‘Oxygen on Wheels’ service came to his rescue in the Golden Hour. However, though such services, launched by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and several other organisations, have drawn a positive response, experts warn of its negative impact too - patients may not just need oxygen, but medical help also.

Some doctors and experts are of the view that such a service is the need of the hour for patients in the initial period when there is difficulty in getting an oxygen bed. Others feel that these should not be looked at as an alternative to a hospital bed, but rather just like first-aid during the Golden Hour to stabilise the patient. They demand that the government, which has helped in starting the services, should now ensure they tie-up with hospitals. In the four days since the launch by BMTC and NGO Foundation India, the OxyBus service has administered oxygen to 50-80 patients.

On Monday, the transport utility extended it to Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapur and Jigani near Bengaluru. Even the Karnataka State Road Corporation followed, launching two oxygen buses on Monday. Private individuals are also not far behind. Two more Maruti Omni cars, remodelled as oxygen vehicles, have been introduced. Foundation India secretary Sanjay Gupta stressed they do not guarantee treatment and the service is just timely help till the patient finds an oxygen bed. “After taking oxygen for two-six hours, depending on the patients’ condition, they either go to a hospital or their homes. We also help in looking for a hospital bed,” he said.

Dr Vishal Rao, member, expert committee, Covid Task Force, Government of India, concurred with Gupta. “This is a good make-shift solution till the patient gets a bed. But such services should tie up with hospitals, or the government should facilitate this,” he said.

Pointing out to recent orders as per which Covid Care Centres and step-down hospitals should be set up under the Karnataka Medical Establishments Act, an expert and adviser to the government said that such mobile oxygen services are no different. “But the oxygen vehicles could be risky and someone should be accountable if there are any incidents.” Experts also caution that the vehicles could become superspreaders as has been reported from other states.