A patient on oxygen support waiting for admission at SSG Hospital
Vadodara: Senior IAS officer Dr Vinod Rao, in-charge of Covid-19 in central Gujarat, was forced to put on hold his notification denying oxygen to 164 Covid-designated ‘small’ hospitals within 24 hours of issuing it.
Thousands of patients remained on the edge after the notification on Sunday night declaring that 164 smaller hospitals will not be given oxygen any more and they should stop admitting patients needing oxygen. The notification was eventually put on hold in wake of the tremendous political pressure.
The notification had grouped private hospitals in different categories based on their capacity and need for oxygen. It was decided that smaller hospitals with low capacity will not be allowed to admit patients needing oxygen. They were to be given oxygen for existing patients as well as for emergency needs.