Install oxygen generation plants at Central hospitals in Delhi: Centre

Harsh Vardhan on Friday reviewed the Covid management preparedness at the Central government-run hospitals in Delhi, including Safdarjung Hospital, RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and AIIMS. Union Minister of State for Health, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, also joined the review meeting virtually. 

A decision was taken in the meeting to install DRDO-Tata Sons' oxygen generation plants at AIIMS, NIC Jhajjar, Safdarjung, LHMC and RML Hospital immediately. These plants shall have a capacity to generate 1000 litre oxygen per minute. 

"The Central government has been leading the fight against Covid through a 'whole of government' and 'whole of society' approach. The hospital infrastructure has been substantially ramped up through various proactive decisions taken by the Union government in collaboration with the states and the UTs," Harsh Vardhan said. 

He pointed out that in view of the unprecedented surge in the number of daily cases, the requirement of oxygen supported beds and ICU beds in addition to adequate oxygen supply along with medicines and trained manpower has increased manifold. 

The Union Health Minister reviewed in detail the availability of beds with oxygen and ventilator support. 

Officials of various hospitals informed the minister regarding the immediate steps being taken for augmenting the availability of beds to cater to the immediate needs of the Covid patients. 

The Union minister directed all the hospitals to urgently start work on the augmentation plans through fabricated hospitals, repurposing non-Covid beds, and conversion of buildings/blocks and wards in the existing premises into dedicated Covid facilities. 

It was informed that the Safdarjung Hospital is augmenting its bed availability with 172 more Covid beds (taking the total to 391). With this, the super specialty block at the hospital will be fully converted into a specialty block for only Covid patients. Also, 46 beds (including 32 ICU beds) are being added with the help of CSIR. 

The RML Hospital informed that it is converting some other non-Covid buildings for dedicated Covid treatment facilities. This step shall provide 200 additional beds for Covid patients. 

At LHMC, 240 more beds are being added by the CSIR, which shall become operationalised soon. 

AIIMS also outlined its expansion plans to add more beds in the other wards or blocks such as the Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre, NCI Jhajjar, Dr. RP Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences and the geriatric wards. The total capacity shall be enhanced to more than 1,000 beds only for Covid patients. 

The Health Minister also reviewed the status of oxygen availability in the various Central government hospitals and the steps being taken for timely augmenting the supply. 

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan informed about the various measures being taken by the Union government to resolve and streamline the logistic issues related to transportation of oxygen from the manufacturing sources to the hospitals. 

Harsh Vardhan also directed all the Central government hospitals to be prepared with expansion plans for providing timely treatment to the Covid patients in the days to come. 

Pointing to reports that many Covid patients are returning from the hospitals without any medicines, he urged the hospitals to ensure that all Covid patients are provided medicines.