Amid allegations and counter-allegations, the Centre on Sunday asked the Delhi government to lift its allocated quota of oxygen so as to supply the same to the needy Corona patients.
While reviewing COVID preparedness in Delhi, Rajiv Gauba, Union Cabinet Secretary, expressed his anguish at recent instances, where people had suffered due to lack of adequate and timely availability of oxygen.
He asked the Delhi Government to make all-out efforts to lift their allocated oxygen, using all the means at their disposal. Delhi Government was asked to ensure that the oxygen available in its kitty be distributed in a rational and transparent manner so that there will be no diversion or leakage.
On the issue of adequate medical and healthcare human resources, he asked the Delhi Government to create flexible procedures to engage the services of retired medical professionals. Cabinet Secretary also asked for further augmentation of testing facilities and timely availability of test results.
Need to ramp up medical infrastructure in Delhi
The Cabinet Secretary emphasized the need to ramp up the medical infrastructure in Delhi, at the earliest, to cater to the increasing demand for COVID beds, ICUs, and ventilators.
He also stressed the need to make available all relevant information on COVID beds and other facilities/ medicine availability to the public, through dedicated websites/ apps, on the basis of which people in need of such facilities/ medicines can approach the right place.
A single helpline should be created at the front end to provide relevant clinical information to the needy people, and should be popularized; the helpline can be serviced through a dedicated and well-staffed call centre.
Start practice of transparent electronic displays
Delhi government was asked to restart the earlier practice of transparent electronic displays, at each hospital site, of the number of beds available in that facility for COVID patients. It was also emphasized the need for setting up oxygen audit Committees in various hospitals and medical facilities.
Union Government asked Delhi Government that Covid Care Centres to be opened in hotels and similar places, as per the protocol. In order to supplement the 24x7 helpline of the Delhi Government, the Centre recommended that the Delhi Medical Association be requested to offer around 50 doctors, who can voluntarily provide medical consultation to COVID-19 patients.
