NEW DELHI: Within a week of its launch, nearly 350 coronavirus-infected patients have availed services of ‘oxygen concentrator bank’ set up by the Delhi government for those who are discharged from the Covid designated facilities (government and private) after recovery and prescribed domiciliary oxygen support or short term oxygen therapy (STOT) at home. The device is provided free of cost.
Most of the beneficiaries are from the west, north, and New Delhi areas. As per the government officials, 52 Covid patients have borrowed oxygen concentrators in the west district, till Thursday. In north and New Delhi, 44 and 41 persons in home isolation took the devices from their respective district administration.
However, only 16 Covid patients in east Delhi have availed the service so far.
The numbers of beneficiaries from other districts are 32 (south), 27 (northwest), 33 (Northeast), 38 (southwest), 21 (southeast), 25 (Shahdara), and 22 (Central). Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on last Saturday made an announcement to set up an ‘oxygen concentrator bank’. Patients may call 1031 and register their request to procure to borrow the device.
The maximum duration to which the concentrator is loaned is two months, post which the machine has to be returned to the authority. “So far 351 patients have taken advantage of the initiative and 20 of them have returned the device after recovery. If the oxygen therapy is required after two months for which the concentrator is needed, then the patient is re-evaluated by a physician and is allowed to keep the concentrators for more time,” said an official.
After the allotment of the concentrator, a team including technicians visits the patients and explain to the family members the handling and functioning of the device. After review of the request by doctors, the oxygen concentrator will be delivered to patients’ homes with the help of the OLA Foundation and Give India.
200 machines to each district
A reserve of 2,635 concentrators was created and each district was allocated about 200 devices. The northeast district has the highest number (294) in stock while the west district has 260 machines. Most of the beneficiaries are from the west, north, and New Delhi areas.