Bengaluru: 50 patients shifted out of KIMS due to oxygen shortage

As many as 50 patients from KIMS were shifted out of the hospital as it faced a shortage of oxygen supply on Monday night. Patients, including those who were COVID positive, were shifted to other hospitals in the city by the KIMS administration.

Bengaluru: Nearly 50 patients, including those who are COVID-19 positive and on oxygen support at the Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), were shifted to various hospitals in Bengaluru on Monday night because of a shortage of oxygen supply. Patients, who needed oxygen support, from KIMS were shifted to Bowring, Victoria and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases.

According to hospital sources, at least 27 children and 19 coronavirus patients were in critical condition and needed ventilator support.

According to the hospital authorities, availability of oxygen cylinders became a major concern after the appointed contractor failed to supply oxygen cylinders for the last two days. A total of 695 patients were admitted to the hospital.

Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar tweeted that as soon as he came to know about the shortage of oxygen at the KIMS, a private hospital, directions were issued to shift patients by ambulance to Victoria, Bowring and Rajiv Gandhi hospitals in the city.

For the treatment of critical patients, 20 huge oxygen cylinders have been sent to the KIMS, Sudhakar said.

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The KIMS said in a statement that due to a shortage of liquid oxygen from the manufacturing company, authorities were informed about the situation and requested for arrangements of liquid oxygen from other suppliers.

"We have anticipated that low oxygen volume hypoxic crisis may occur for oxygen-dependent patients," it said.

"For damage control and on precautionary measures, we plan to shift all oxygen-dependent patients to various government and private hospitals.

Statement issued by KIMS

"During this crisis, all government officials and authorities immediately responded to our call and supported us by joining hands with the management for saving the lives of the patients. We are indebted for their kind co-operation," it added.

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With PTI inputs