COVID patients from Delhi, neighbouring states coming to Punjab for treatment: Officials

Amid reports of shortage of hospital beds and oxygen supplies, COVID-19 patients from Delhi and neighbouring states are getting admitted to health facilities in Punjab, said officials on Sunday.

Many patients from Delhi have been admitted to hospitals in Patiala, Jalandhar and other places, they said, adding that those from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh too are to turning to the state.

Presently, there are 13-14 patients from Delhi who are admitted to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala Civil Surgeon Dr Satinder Singh.

Doctors said Delhi-based COVID-19 patients, many of whom need oxygen support, are coming to Punjab as they could not get hospital beds in the national capital.

Many patients whose relatives are living in Punjab are approaching them to get themselves admitted, said doctors, adding that as a moral obligation, they could not refuse treatment to anyone even if they were from outside Punjab.

Around 35-40 patients from other states are getting treatment in Jalandhar hospitals.

Of these patients, 12-13 are from Delhi while the rest are from Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Jammu, said Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori.

Several private hospitals in Punjab are getting frequent calls from Delhi-based patients who want to get hospitalised for coronavirus treatment.

I am getting five to six calls daily from patients, a majority of whom are from Delhi, said Dr Navjot Dahiya, who runs a hospital in Jalandhar.

Sudden influx of patients has added more pressure on health facilities in the state, the officials said.

Several private hospitals are already complaining of shortage of oxygen, thus refusing to admit more patients.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday had pointed out that sudden influx of patients from neighbouring states had put an added burden on the oxygen requirement of the state.

Punjab has witnessed a sharp increase in demand for oxygen over the past few days.

The demand for oxygen currently stands at 250 metric tonnes a day and is further expected to go up to 300 MT in the coming days on account of spiralling COVID cases.