Appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for personal intervention and guidance in tackling the Covid-19 crisis that has brought the national capital’s healthcare system to its knees, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriewal warned on Friday that a “big tragedy” would unfold if “quick and meaningful steps” are not taken to resolve the situation, especially an acute shortage of oxygen.
Speaking for nearly five minutes during the PM’s virtual meeting of chief ministers from the country’s worst-hit states, Kejriwal told PM Modi that his phone keeps ringing as hospitals reach out to him, stating that they have two or three hours of oxygen left, because trucks meant for them have been stopped.
In the meantime, the Central government on Friday extended support to the Delhi government to manage the crisis and ensured the reactivation of the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) COVID care facility with 500 ICU beds, funded from the PM CARES fund.
Amid the surging Covid-19 cases, the DRDO has set up a facility in New Delhi with all basic facilities free of charge. As per a Central government official, the facility started operation with 250 beds initially on 19 April and another 250 beds likely to be operational by 23rd evening.
“All medical professionals have been provided by Armed Forces Medical Service (AFMS) and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF),” said the official.
The facility set up by DRDO in Delhi has all oxygen beds, a large number of ventilators, zero charges, basic testing facilities and air-conditioning, as per WHO standards. If a patient suffers a neuro or cardiac case, the patient will be referred to the AIIMS.
The Central government also provided medical assistance and manpower for re-activating Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre (SPCCC) at Chhattarpur. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday designated Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) as the Nodal Force for operating the Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre at Delhi’s Chhatarpur, which is being re-operationalised amid the rapid surge in cases in the national capital.
“It has been decided to provide an adequate number of medical officers and para-medical staff to man 500 oxygenated beds to Sardar Patel Covid centre, Chhattarpur in Delhi,” MHA said in a notification.
In February this year, MHA decided to close India’s largest Covid-19 care facility due to a substantially reduced load of patients owing to improvement in the coronavirus situation in the national capital. The Centre has also increased the number of Covid-19 beds in various Central government’s hospitals in Delhi. Now there are 3,623 Covid beds in Central government’s hospitals, including 480 ICU beds, with ventilators.
As per the official, the Centre is further adding 536 more beds, including 250 ICU beds in DRDO hospital. “With this, the total capacity of Central government-funded Covid beds will reach 4,159, including 730 ICU beds,” they said.