Gastroenterology head among 12 dead as Delhi's Batra Hospital runs out of oxygen

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 1

Another tragedy unfolded in the National Capital on Friday after 12 critical Covid patients, including the HoD of Gastroenterology Department, of Batra Hospital in Mahrauli died due to oxygen shortage.

Medical Superintendent of the faculty Sudhanshu Bankata said all the deceased were highly critical and on high flow oxygen support.

Bankata said the hospital has been sending SOS alarms to the coordination mechanism platform formed by the Delhi Government for oxygen supply since 7 am today.

For one and a half hours before the patients died, there was no oxygen left at the hospital. A tanker arrived at 1.25 pm by when the deaths had occurred.

Among the deceased is hospital’s own in-house gastro expert RK Hithani, who also couldn’t be saved.

Bankata said oxygen supply situation is not easing and is in fact worsening. Against Batra Hospital’s daily quota of 7 metric ton oxygen, only 4.9 MT is reaching. “The Centre has to ensure the entire promised allocation is delivered to Delhi,” he said.

The hospital has 326 patients, of which 306 are Covid patients and 230 are on high flow oxygen.

Many other patients are on the edge, Bankata said while not ruling out further fatalities as stress due to low oxygen supply deteriorates patient condition.

Earlier, 20 patients died of low oxygen at Jaipur Golden Hospital and 25 at Gangaram Hospital.

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