Covid: Delhi govt to start oxygen concentrator bank, announces CM Kejriwal | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
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Covid: Delhi govt to start oxygen concentrator bank, announces CM Kejriwal

By | Written by Harshit Sabarwal | Edited by Avik Roy, New Delhi
May 15, 2021 12:35 PM IST

In April, Delhi witnessed the worst health crisis during the pandemic as hospitals ran short of oxygen supplies on a daily basis and were unable to procure them on time. Many critical patients of the Covid-19 disease lost their lives due to the shortage of the lifesaving gas.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Saturday that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government will start an oxygen concentrator bank (OCB) in the national capital and added that 200 such units will be set up in each district.

Kejriwal added the Delhi government officials will deliver the oxygen concentrator within two hours to those patients which are under home isolation.(ANI file photo)
Kejriwal added the Delhi government officials will deliver the oxygen concentrator within two hours to those patients which are under home isolation.(ANI file photo)

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said, “From today we will be starting an oxygen concentrator bank. We have often seen that oxygen levels of people have dropped after being infected with Covid-19. If they are provided oxygen immediately, their condition may not worsen. If the lifesaving gas is not provided on time, they have to be admitted in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and sometimes they succumb to Covid-19.”

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Kejriwal added the Delhi government officials will deliver the oxygen concentrator within two hours to those patients which are under home isolation. A technical person will accompany the officials and will educate the family members on how to use the machine, the chief minister said.

Also Read| Delhi's daily Covid cases down to 6,500; CM announces oxygen concentrator banks

The government will also provide the concentrator to the hospitalised patients who recovered from Covid-19 and have come back home but need oxygen for a few days, as per the advice of the doctors, Kejriwal said during the briefing.

“Our doctors will be in constant touch with patients who have been given an oxygen concentrator. These patients will be hospitalised if the need arises. And when they recover, the concentrator will be taken back, sanitised and provided to some other patient.” the CM added.

The infected patients which are not a part of the government’s isolation program can dial 1031 and be a part of it and request for a concentrator, Kejriwal said but the doctors will first make sure whether the patient needs it or not.

Also Read| Free education, financial aid for Covid orphans: Kejriwal

In April, Delhi witnessed the worst health crisis during the pandemic as hospitals ran short of oxygen supplies on a daily basis and were unable to procure them on time. Many critical patients of the Covid-19 disease lost their lives due to the shortage of the lifesaving gas.

However, there has been slight improvement in the situation as Delhi’s daily requirement of medical oxygen dropped to 582 metric tonnes (MT) from 700 MT, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday and urged the Centre to allot the surplus supplies of the gas to other states which are in need of it.


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