The shocking incident at a government hospital in Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka, where 24 patients died on Monday due to shortage of oxygen, has sent shockwaves across the nation. Due to a disruption in oxygen supply from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m on wee hours of Monday, two dozen deaths tragically took place. But the entire state is still far from out of the oxygen crisis. Another hospital in the very state of Karnataka is now running out of oxygen and fast.
Bengaluru, the IT capital of the state, is already facing an acute shortage of medical oxygen. Now, a private hospital in Bengaluru has reported oxygen shortage and urged patients to look for beds elsewhere. The news comes only hours after the tragic incident of Chamarajanagar government hospital was reported.
Medax Hospital running out of oxygen
In a viral letter issued by the MD of Medax Hospitals in RT Nagar addressed to one of the patients, the hospital has sounded the alarm on the oxygen shortage. Urging the patient to look for bed elsewhere, the hospital said its request for oxygen has been pending since the evening of May 1.
"We will run out of oxygen by 03/05/2021 5pm. Kindly arrange for beds in different hospitals," reads the alarming message.
It is reported that there are 30 critical patients being treated at the Medax Hospitals and without oxygen, their lives are at serious risk. Given the prevailing situation in Karnataka, finding a single hospital bed in Bengaluru is a task in itself, let alone getting 30.
Twitter sounds SOS; govt answers
Many Twitter users have shared the update, tagging the government authorities for help. Even former CM Siddaramaiah also tagged CM Yediyurappa and Health Minister Dr Sudhakar for immediate intervention to save the lives of patients in the Bengaluru hospital.
Meanwhile, Dy CM Karnataka, Dr Ashwathnarayan's office confirmed that the issue has been acknowledged and the concerned authorities have been informed and are following it up. "We have been informed that the hospital has run out of empty cylinders and the hospital is in touch with the nodal officers to find the solution," read the statement from the Office of Dr Ashwathnarayan.
International Business Times has tried reaching out to the hospital to get an update on the situation, either their number was busy or unresponsive. We'll update the story with the hospital's response shortly.
