War room set up to ensure medical oxygen supply to hospitals

Bengaluru: With hospitals turning away Covid patients due to shortage of medical oxygen supply, the State government on Sunday opened a dedicated war room at the Office of the Drugs Controller to address the crisis.

"In order to facilitate availability of medical oxygen for treatment of Covid-19 patients a dedicated war room has been created at the Office of the Drugs Controller," an official notification said.

Underlining the crisis in the State, some health care centres like Prasad Hospital, Lifecare Hospital, Swastik Hospital, Unity Hospital among others had issued discharge summary to the patients after they had run out of medical oxygen supply.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Saturday held discussion with managements of BMCRI, KIMS and St.John's Medical College in Bengaluru regarding treatment of Covid-19 patients.

"About 2,500 beds will be reserved in these three colleges and suggested them they establish makeshift CCCs in collaboration with nearby hotels," he said.

During his visit to Sakra World Hospital, he also hinted that the government would raise the dedicated Covid-19 bed share in private hospitals above and over the existing 50 per cent.

Sudhakar said that private hospitals in Bengaluru have also been directed to collaborate with hotels nearby to ensure "step-down hospitals" are established as patients who do not require ICU admission, oxygen beds or ventilators can stay there.

"Following a meeting with BBMP Commissioner Jawaid Akthar, six hospitals have already started COVID Care Centers in hotels with our support. Another seven hotels are kept ready which are under process of discussion with hospitals. Expecting some more hoteliers would come forward and do the needful," the Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association president PC Rao said. The State registered a whopping 17,489 positive cases on Satyrday, taking the Covid tally to 11,41,998, including 1,19,160 active cases.

Out of 80 deaths, 43 were from Bengaluru on Saturday, taking the State's toll to 13,270 and the city's toll to 5,063.

"We will supply jumbo cylinders to private hospitals, which do not have liquid oxygen tanks, from State-run hospitals to overcome the shortage and meet the demand," said Dr Sudhakar.

Though about 800 tonnes of oxygen is produced by four bottling plants across the State, demand for the gas has been exceeding supply due to surge in cases and despite the Centre rushing 300 tonnes to the State recently.

"We have urged the Centre to supply 7,500 jumbo oxygen cylinders to meet the demand, as cases continue to spike daily," said Sudhakar.

"As the number of patients rises, so will the need for ICU beds. There is scarcity of ICU beds and ICU resources like oxygen and ICU trained nurses," Rainbow Children's Hospital neonatologist and pediatrician M.S. Sreedhara said.