Coronavirus / Compensation of up to ₹5 lakh declared for the families of those who died of oxygen shortage in Delhi

New Delhi: The state government on Thursday set up a six-member panel to look into deaths caused due to oxygen shortages at the peak of the fourth wave of Covid-19. The panel will also ascertain the criteria for compensation to be given to families.

The state government will give families of the deceased between ₹50,000 and ₹5 lakh compensation.

To be sure, the family of any Delhi resident who dies of Covid-19 is given ₹50,000 compensation. This panel will decide on any compensation over and above this amount.

“The committee will check whether oxygen was being used properly in the hospitals as per the norms. The committee will check the steps taken by the hospital to maintain sufficient oxygen stock with respect to patients admitted therein,” the order read.

The committee includes a doctor from the department of medicine and another from anaesthesia at Lok Nayak hospital, an anaesthetist from Lal Bahadur Shastri hospital, an official from the directorate general of health services, and two heads of private hospitals

The complaints will be received online and offline by the nursing home cell, and will be assessed at least twice a week. The committee will be empowered to ask the hospitals in question for any documents needed, according to the order by special secretary (health) SM Ali.

At least 32 people across two city hospitals died ostensibly due to oxygen shortage in Delhi.

Twenty patients, mostly admitted to the intensive care unit, in Jaipur Golden hospital died around midnight on April 23 after the pressure in the oxygen system ran low, when the hospital switched from liquid medical oxygen to manifold with oxygen cylinders.

Another 12 people, including the head of the department of gastroenterology, died in Batra hospital on May 2 when the hospital was forced to switch to oxygen cylinders after it was left without liquid oxygen for 80 minutes.

Sir Ganga Ram hospital said 25 of their sickest patients died and also said there was oxygen crisis in the hospital, without claiming there were any direct connection between the two.