Won’t let any patient die if we get 700 MT Oxygen daily: Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that for the first time, Delhi received 730MT oxygen from the Centre yesterday; and until the second wave COVID-19 is not curtailed, we will need 700MT oxygen daily. He said that if Delhi gets an adequate supply of 700MT oxygen, it will be able to set up a centre with 9,000-9,500 beds in Delhi. The CM assured citizens that the Delhi government will not let anyone die due to a shortage of oxygen.

CM Kejriwal thanked the Central Government, Supreme Court and High Court because of whose efforts Delhi was able to get 730MT oxygen. He appealed to hospitals that were forced to reduce the number of beds due to the lack of oxygen, to now reinstate the number of beds that existed earlier. He said that till today Delhi has administered 35,74,000 doses of vaccines; around 28 lakh people have received their first jab and 7,76,000 people have received both the jabs and in the last three days 1,30,000 youth (18-44) have received their first jab.

CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “Since the past few days, Delhi has been suffering from a scarcity of oxygen. Today to run all our hospitals and our health infrastructure in Delhi, we require 700MT oxygen daily. Given the scattered Delhi was getting oxygen, several hospitals reported shortages. Hospitals sent messages after messages, which was also showcased in the media -- such as only one hour of oxygen left in one place and half an hour of oxygen left in another and that patients may die. We were facing a lot of difficulties. But yesterday, for the first time Delhi got its share of 730MT Oxygen, sent by the Central Government.”

Kejriwal added, “Like I’ve maintained, Delhi needs 700MT oxygen, and yesterday was the first time that the Central Government sent 730 MT oxygen. As the Chief Minister of Delhi, I’d like to thank the Central Government on behalf of the people of Delhi. I’d also thank the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. It was because of their efforts that we were able to get 730MT oxygen. We are grateful as innumerable lives can now be saved. Having said that, getting 730MT oxygen for one day will not work. Until the second wave of COVID is not curtailed, we need 700MT oxygen daily. It shouldn’t be the case that one day we receive 700MT and the next day we again get only 300-400MT, because this will create a turmoil in the hospitals again.”

Kejriwal said, “It is my earnest request, appeal and plea to everyone to not curtail this 700MT supply. We should get this supply on a daily basis, and for this, the people of Delhi will be forever grateful to everyone, all of us will be thankful for this.”

He added, “During the period when there was a paucity of oxygen in Delhi, many hospitals reduced their beds. A huge hospital with 300 beds reduced 100 beds. This led to people not getting beds, whereas our efforts should be to increase the number of oxygen beds and ICU beds. However, if big hospitals cut down the number of beds, it will lead to complete mayhem. It is my request to all hospitals to reinstate the number of beds. I hope 700MT oxygen will be available each day.”

He also said, “I’ve been meeting several people from the hospitals, and all of Delhi has come together like a family and is fighting the pandemic. Hospitals have said that if they’re given an adequate and sufficient amount of oxygen, they will increase the number of beds. I hope that the 700MT oxygen will be supplied daily, which will allow hospitals to resume existing beds and expand their bed limit so that admission can be given to as many patients as possible and lives can be saved.”

Kejriwal said, “If we receive 700MT oxygen daily, we can create several oxygen-beds in Delhi. Presently, given the scarcity of oxygen, we can only create 5,000 beds in Radha Soami Satsang; 2,500 beds in two places in Burari; 1,000 beds in Commonwealth Games Village; and 1,000 beds in Yamuna Sports Complex. Around 9000-9500 beds can be prepared if we get adequate oxygen. If we get 700MT oxygen daily, I guarantee you that no person will have to die because of a shortage of oxygen. No one will face scarcity of oxygen in Delhi.”

He further said, “At the end of the day, one has to get vaccinated. Vaccination is the only solution to this problem. Since the day we opened vaccination for those between 18-44 years, there’s been great enthusiasm to get inoculated. For the past 3-4 days, I, along with ManishJi, Satyendar JainJi, have been taking a tour of several vaccination centres and met many youngsters. There was much enthusiasm and people are elated about the facilities within the vaccination centres in Delhi that the government has prepared for them. I am receiving a lot of messages from the people and the youngsters that the facilities are top-notch and that I went and felt great after getting vaccinated there. It is my request to all youngsters, and all those above 18, to compulsorily register yourselves, get an appointment and get vaccinated.”

CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “Tell all your friends and family members and encourage as many people as possible to get vaccinated. Till now, in Delhi, we have given out 35,74,000 doses, within which 28 lakh people have taken the first dose, and 7,76,000 people have taken both the doses. In the last three days, the vaccination drive was opened up for those between 18-44 years, and within these three days, around 1,30,000 have been vaccinated. I hope more will be vaccinated in the coming days. The only thing missing is, if we want we can increase the vaccine manifold, we can multiply the vaccination drive, but now there is a problem of shortage of vaccine, scarcity of supply. If we get the adequate supply then as I had promised earlier, we can vaccinate the entire Delhi within three months. We are waiting for the supply, and if we get the sufficient supply in a timely manner, we will open multiple centres.”

He concluded, “I hope all governments will work together in the near future. No government can fight this huge pandemic alone. I hope that in the upcoming days, all governments can work harmoniously. We are getting a lot of support from the Courts. Different organisations have also extended help, and I have complete faith that we will be relieved of our problems soon.”