BENGALURU: Even as Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar says that the state has arranged enough oxygen supply for hospitals, the ordeal of people dying due to the lack of oxygen beds is continuing in Bengaluru.A 35-year-old software engineer succumbed, despite a Covid warrior’s effort to find him another hospital with an ICU bed.
Relating the incident to TNIE, social worker Asha Suryanarayan said, “Subramanya was a bright software engineer and a family friend. At around 9 am on Monday, I received a call from his wife, who had first tested positive and recovered. She was desperate as the Devagiri Hospital, where Subramanya was admitted, had asked her to shift him to another facility where they could avail oxygen supply.”
Devagiri Hospital reportedly lacked oxygen supply, and mentioned that the patient’s condition may become critical if oxygen is not provided in time. The patient by then was put on all Covid drugs, including Remedisivir, but was not responding.
Asha apparently tried calling every single officer whose number she had on her phone list. “I called all -- zonal, nodal, local, Dr Sudhakar’s office, BBMP officers -- who I thought may help. After at least 60 calls, I finally found Dr Viswanath Reddy, who owns Prashanth Hospital, who agreed to take in the patient,” she said.
However, the hospital was located in Bommanahalli and Subramanya was admitted in Banashankari’s Devagiri Hospital. “Authorities at Devagiri told us that the patient may show dip in oxygen levels during mobility from Banashankari to Bommanahalli, but he will improve once he receives care,” she explained.
Unfortunately, by the time Subramanya reached Prashanth Hospital, his condition had worsened and his saturation levels had dropped to 65. “Dr Vishwanath and his team tried their best, but in vain. By the time we reached the hospital, he was already finding it difficult to breathe,” she grieved.
Non-Covid patient dies due to non-availability of oxygen bed
A 40-year-old man who fell unconscious due to severe breathing issues near Kamalanagar Market in Bengaluru, succumbed after not finding a bed, though he didn’t have Covid 19. He was lying unconscious near the market when locals, with the help of former Corporator M Shivaraju, arranged for an ambulance and shifted him to KC General Hospital in Malleswaram. However, as the hospital did not have beds, he was shifted to Victoria Hospital, but then they couldn’t find an oxygen bed there too.