Oxygen supply limited, only one-third beds in ITBP center taken
Only one-third of the total 500 oxygen beds at the ITBP operated COVID-19 care center in south Delhi are occupied as the border guarding force said the capacity to admit coronavirus infected patients at the facility is "limited" due to the supply of oxygen. The paramilitary force said there is a huge influx of patients demanding admission at the facility.
Have requested the Delhi government to increase oxygen supply: ITBP
The paramilitary force said that it has requested the Delhi government to increase the oxygen supply so that admissions are increased. As per the latest available data of the Sardar Patel COVID-19 care center (SPCCC) located in the Radha Soami Beas in south Delhi's Chhattarpur area, the facility that began operations on April 26 has taken a total of 176 patients till now.
Out of 176 patients, 122 are males, 54 are females
Out of this, 122 are males while 54 are female patients. The total occupied beds, as per the data, are 164 while nine patients have been discharged, three referred to hospitals while eight patients died after admission.
'Almost all patients are in need of uninterrupted oxygen'
"Some patients, out of the 26, were admitted through referrals on Tuesday," officials said. The paramilitary force on Tuesday night had issued a statement and said that "almost all patients are in need of uninterrupted oxygen." The statement said, "There is a huge influx of patients demanding admission but our capacity is limited by the supply of oxygen."
Efforts on to increase the capacity of the center
"Efforts are on to gradually increase the center's capacity," it said. Officials had said though the Delhi government has not issued any official order doing away with the mandatory process of getting an approval of the district surveillance officer for admitting patients at this Center, some were allowed in "on the basis of referrals, considering the condition of the patient and following due processes."
SPCCC only has oxygen beds, no ICU and ventilators
The facility has been opened in view of Delhi registering a surge in COVID-19 cases, a shortage of oxygen beds, and its healthcare system not being able to handle pressure. The ITBP, a border-guarding force, has been designated by the Union Home Ministry as the nodal agency to run it. The SPCCC, at present, only has oxygen beds and no ICU and ventilator facilities.
Treatment, food, medicines will be free of cost at SPCCC
According to the laid out procedure, the SPCCC will have no walk-in admissions and these will be made after approval by DSOs of various Delhi districts. The ITBP has said that treatment, medicines, and food for all the patients at this center will be free of cost. Also, the cost is borne by the Delhi government.
Patients failed to get admission at the center on Monday
As the Center opened on Monday, a number of patients whose oxygen levels were fluctuating had voluntarily queued up outside the facility with a hope of getting admitted there. However, they could not get admission and were asked to follow the set protocol.
Patients with oxygen saturation 85 or above will be admitted
A number of patients were unsuccessful in getting admission on Tuesday too. ITBP Deputy Inspector General (DIG) DK Goyal had told reporters at the facility on Monday that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) state that patients whose oxygen saturation level is 85 or above will be admitted to the facility as it is a COVID-19 care center and not a hospital.
Here are the helpline numbers of SPCCC for your convenience
The SOPs state that the patients who require intensive or better medical care will be referred to GTB and Safdarjung hospitals from here. The helpline numbers of the SPCCC are 011-26655547/48/49 and 011-26655949/69.
