COVID mock drill at govt. hospitals; Sisodia says fully equipped

Heallth workers at Safdarjung Hospital duirng a COVID mock drill on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: R. V. Moorthy / Today News 24

Government hospitals across the city conducted mock drills on Tuesday to assess their preparedness to deal with any increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Delhi government-run hospitals were fully equipped to fight COVID-19. 

Mr. Sisodia visited Lok Nayak Hospital, the largest Delhi government-run hospital, during the mock drill and reviewed the availability of hospital beds, condition of ICU beds, availability of medical oxygen, necessary training of doctors and other medical and paramedical staff.

He said 450 out of 2,000 beds have been reserved for COVID patients in LNJP Hospital and if needed, it will be increased like last time. “During previous waves, more than 25,000 COVID infected were treated in this hospital. Delhi government is regularly reviewing the preparedness of all the hospitals with respect to COVID,” Mr. Sisodia said. 

The Minister said that the availability of medical oxygen at Lok Nayak Hospital has increased manifold as compared to last time. “Five PSA plants have also been installed here. The hospital is of such a level that within five minutes of the arrival of a patient, he will be taken to the designated place where he needs treatment and the required procedure will start immediately,” he added. 

Mr. Sisodia said at present 8,200 COVID-19 beds are reserved in Delhi government hospitals and if needed, the capacity of beds will be increased from 25,000 to 36,000. In addition, the Delhi government has more than 6,000 oxygen cylinders, oxygen tankers to transport oxygen, and 928 metric tons of medical oxygen storage capacity, he added. 

The Minister said that the hospital and health directorate of the Delhi government is fully prepared to fight against Corona and save the citizens of Delhi. We need to be alert instead of being afraid of COVID-19 right now. 

But there was no mock drill in most of the private hospitals. 

“The Delhi government asked us for data on how many oxygen beds and ICU beds our hospital can set aside for COVID patients, details about our equipment and oxygen plants etc. and we gave them the data. But there was no mock drill that happened today,” Dr. Sumit Ray, Medical Director of Holy Family Hospital, said. 

“We are in all ways prepared to treat patients and fight COVID if the numbers go up, but we didn’t get any communication from the government on the mock drill,” said Dr. Ajay Swaroop, Chairman Board of Management of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.