Video Producer: Maaz Hasan
Video Editor: Puneet Bhatia
As SOS calls from hospitals across the national capital region on oxygen shortages continue for several straight days, India has broken new records in the number of COVID infections and deaths.
On Friday, 23 April, 25 lives at the Jaipur Golden Hospital in Delhi were lost due to lack of medical oxygen supply. Similar tragic reports came in from Gangaram hospital a day earlier.
Could this have been prevented with better preparation? What is behind the acute oxygen shortage?
The Quint speaks with veteran orthopaedic surgeon and public health expert Dr Mathew Varghese.
“The dependency over oxygen can be reduced if the timing of the intervention is correct,” says Dr Varghese.
He explains an important five-day period of COVID symptoms, which can help reduce further health degradation due to the virus.
He says this will reduce the surplus demand for oxygen that we are witnessing at the moment.
In conversation with The Quint, Dr Varghese also points out an important reason for us having to deal with so many critical cases at the hospitals.
“And that’s when you need oxygen and a ventilator,” adds Dr Varghese.
Watch the full interview here.
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