Families suffer as Capital crumbles under oxygen shortage on Day 5 of crisis

New Delhi: 82-year-old Rama Devi has no idea that her husband took his last breath on Friday due to Covid-19. Both husband and wife were admitted at Delhi's private hospital Mata Chandan Devi a few days back when they were infected with the virus.

While Devi survived, her 86-year-old husband could not make it. Outside the hospital, one of his sons had cremated the body of his father on Friday. "She has no idea that he has died and that we have cremated him. She is conscious and we do not want to jeopardize her health by telling her this," he told Millennium Post.

From getting admitted to oxygen everything was a nightmare for the family. "We had come to admit my parents a few days back but there were no beds. We had to wait for three hours outside the hospital for them to get a bed. After that due to lack of oxygen supply my father could not make it," he said.

Mata Chandan Devi Hospital, earlier in the day had released a SOS message declaring that their oxygen storage is almost over. They also said that the company INOX which is providing oxygen had refused to prove them with oxygen, however in the evening one Inox truck carrying oxygen delivered it to the hospital.

However, still struggling with the storage, families of patients were asked to arrange an oxygen cylinder for themselves. "My family member is down with covid and as there was no oxygen available at the hospital, we were asked to bring it ourselves," he said as one of her family members said they have managed to get an oxygen cylinder.

Devi's son meanwhile said that the situation is grim and they are losing hope in hospitals and the government both. On the other hand, many patients were turned away from the gates as there were no beds available. "Let me just show him to the doctor once please. He is not able to move," a young man shouted outside the hospital.

Similar situations can be witnessed at other major hospitals as well. At Delhi's another major hospital Sir Ganga Ram there is an hourly oxygen crisis. "Every few hours we have an oxygen crisis, the whole administration is only busy in making frantic calls, while patients are suffering. We feel sad to see people bringing their oxygen cylinders. Hospital has and is approaching all authorities and Nodal officers but no help is coming. Since yesterday night hundreds of calls have been made but nobody is picking up the calls. Government's helpline number when contacted in crisis also could not help saying, 'we can only forward the complaint'," PRO at the hospital said.

Ganga Ram witnessed more than 25 deaths at the hospital on Friday in the last 24 hours, where the situation remains the same. Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh, which is covid dedicated, had also sent a SOS message regarding the shortage of oxygen supply. The hospital has about 200 admitted patients. The hospital, however, did not update about the situation till evening. Even after repeated calls there was no answer from the hospital regarding the oxygen's shortage. Meanwhile. Ganga Ram Hospital said that it has given a fourth SOS call in 24 hours.