The Delhi government-run Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital on Saturday reduced the number of COVID beds from 986 to 700 amid a deepening crisis over the scarcity of oxygen vital to save critically ill coronavirus patients.
This is the second government hospital in Delhi to have reduced the number of COVID beds, as health facilities across the national capital struggle for a continuous oxygen supply.
According to data available on the Delhi government's "Delhi Corona" application, there are 700 COVID beds in the hospital located at Shahdara. Of these, 400 are ICU beds.
On Friday, the city government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital had reduced the number of COVID beds from 650 to 350 due to shortage of oxygen.
All 350 beds at the hospital are ICU beds.
Asked if "not enough oxygen" was the reason to reduce the number of beds, RGSSH Medical Director BL Sherwal had replied, "Yes."
An official said it is becoming increasingly difficult to "operationalise more beds in view of oxygen shortage".
Some hospitals in the national capital continued to grapple with severe shortage of medical oxygen on Saturday even after receiving emergency supplies with the help of the Delhi government and the Delhi Police.
While some hospitals have managed to make short-term arrangements, there is no immediate end to the crisis in sight.
On Saturday at least two private hospitals in Delhi -- Saroj Super Speciality Hospital in Rohini and Batra Hospital in Tughlakabad Institutional Area -- asked families of patients to shift them to other healthcare facilities in view of oxygen shortage.
