Two hospitals based in Bengaluru call for SOS with just some hours of oxygen left

PTI Photo

Several hospitals in the city of Bengaluru are facing extreme shortage of oxygen supply and as of May 3, a private hospital based in RT Nagar – Medax Hospital along with Rajarajeswari Medical College and Hospital based on Mysuru Road have given an open declaration about their medical oxygen supply to fall short of in a few hours. During the afternoon hours on May 3, Medax Hospital declared that their medical oxygen supply will get over by 5 pm and the medical doctor wrote to the patients to make their own arrangements.

The letter written by Dr Srihari Shapur, Medical Director of the Hospital states, “This is to inform you that we are running out of oxygen supply, we are unable to collect oxygen care for the patient. We have been informing since 01/05/2021, 6:00 pm. We will shortly run out of oxygen by 03/05/2021 5pm. Kindly arrange for beds in different hospitals. We regret this situation. And request you to co-operate in view of patient well being.”

Several Twitter users shared on the platform the letter which also comprises of former chief minister Siddaramaiah, addressing it to BBMP and state government. Similarly, Rajarajeshwari Hospitals based in Mysuru Road has around 100 patients, issued a distress request appealing to get supply for medical oxygen.

A while after, oxygen cylinders were supplied to the two hospitals post the intervention of Deputy Chief minister Ashwathnarayan, where Medax Hospital procured 15 while Rajarajeshwari Hospital got 20 oxygen cylinders.

Dr Srihari Shapur, MD, Medax Hospital told to TNM, “I have been getting a lot of assurance from a lot of people since I asked for help. Shifa Hospital (Shivajinagar) has given me around 20 cylinders. I need four liquid oxygen dura cylinders and 60 jumbo cylinders daily. Till now we were meeting this from two distributors, one based in Hosur and one in Peenya. But since last week, we are having interruption in our supply as the vendors are not able to cater to the increase in demand.”

He further added, “Other than oxygen, shortage of cylinders is an issue as we are not able to procure them. Before we could manage with 10-15 cylinders, but now for the past month we have been requiring 180-200 cylinders. Till today, we were able to manage.”

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