The feat appears almost miraculous amid the unprecedented shortage of the gas in the wake of the tidal second wave of COVID-19 sweeping the country.
Ghaziabad:
A gurdwara in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has done in the past few days what many big hospitals in the National Capital Region have frequently failed at: providing oxygen to critically patients and that, too, free of cost. The feat appears almost miraculous amid the unprecedented shortage of the gas in the wake of the tidal second wave of COVID-19 sweeping the country.
India’s medical infrastructure has been blighted by an acute resource crunch in many places brought about by an incessant flow of patients. Among things in shortage are hospital beds, drugs, vaccines, and most, importantly, oxygen. So much so that the administration in states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana have in the past few days gone to court to fight for their shares.
The Shri Gurdwara in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, has helped at least 200 persons since last night.Ghaziabad:
A gurdwara in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has done in the past few days what many big hospitals in the National Capital Region have frequently failed at: providing oxygen to critically patients and that, too, free of cost. The feat appears almost miraculous amid the unprecedented shortage of the gas in the wake of the tidal second wave of COVID-19 sweeping the country.
India’s medical infrastructure has been blighted by an acute resource crunch in many places brought about by an incessant flow of patients. Among things in shortage are hospital beds, drugs, vaccines, and most, importantly, oxygen. So much so that the administration in states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana have in the past few days gone to court to fight for their shares.
Yet, Shri Gurdwara of the Singh Sabha in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, has managed to help at least 200 patients breathe easier since midnight yesterday.
A stream of vehicles is now parked before the Sikh place of worship, with patients, almost all of them suffering from COVID-19, being given oxygen — some even on the roadside — by the Gurdwara’s officials and volunteers.
“We have formed 2-3 teams to organise 10-odd cylinders each. Some of the cylinders have been brought from as far as Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh and Rudrapur in Uttarakhand,” Gurpreet Singh, the pradhan (chief) of the Gurdwara, told NDTV.
What is remarkable is that the oxygen is being provided free of cost even as oxygen cylinders cost anywhere between ₹ 3,000 and ₹ 6,000 amid the crisis in the Delhi National Capital Region.
Covid patient Aman Kumar, around 30 years old, arrived here early this morning after facing rejection at 4-5 hospitals at least. His oxygen levels had fallen to 65 per cent by the time he reached the Gurdwara, his mother said.
The volunteers here then ensured that Mr Kumar’s condition recovered to around 90 per cent of oxygen before sending him off to look for a hospital.
We don’t know what the administration is doing. If we can get the cylinders, why can’t they ensure it, too?” asked Mr Singh, the Gurdwara pradhan.
