Delhi govt's super specialty hospital reduces COVID beds amid ‘oxygen shortage'

New Delhi, April 23

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The Delhi government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital on Friday reduced the number of COVID beds from 650 to 350 due to shortage of oxygen, officials said.

All 350 beds at the hospital are ICU beds, they said.

Asked if “not enough oxygen” was the reason to reduce the number of such beds, Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital (RGSSH) Medical Director B L Sherwal replied, “Yes.” A source said it was becoming increasingly difficult to “operationalise more beds in view of oxygen shortage”.

Some hospitals in the national capital continued to grapple with severe shortage of medical oxygen on Friday even after receiving emergency supplies.

Most of them have been receiving “emergency supplies” with the help of the Delhi government.

While some hospitals have managed to make short-term arrangements, there is no immediate end to the crisis in sight, a government official had said on Thursday.

In a letter to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said six private hospitals in the city had exhausted their oxygen supply by Thursday evening.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had said beds would be increased in large numbers once the oxygen crisis was resolved.

A government doctor said hospitals in Delhi are wary of admitting more patients amid a serious shortage of oxygen- PTI