Workers stand as a tank is filled with liquid oxygen at a hospital, amid the spread of COVID-19 in New Delhi on April 22, 2021. (Image: Reuters/Adnan Abidi)
Delhi has decided to give compensation of up to Rs 5 lakh each, for COVID-19 patients who died due to oxygen shortage in the city amid the harsh second wave of coronavirus in India.
The state government has thus constituted a six-member committee to assess cases and “check whether the oxygen was being used properly at the hospital as per the norms,” as per the official order issued on May 27.
"The committee would draw up an objective criteria to award compensation, limited to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh in each case," it added.
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The committee will assess online and offline complaints and/or representations regarding deaths due to oxygen shortage on “case-to-case basis” and will grant “ex-gratia compensation over and above the no-fault ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 already ordered by the government".
Offline complaints and representations can be submitted at the nursing home cell of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the order states, adding that the panel would meet at least twice a week – either virtually or physically, at a fixed time.
“The committee will be empowered to seek any documents from the concerned hospitals, including records of oxygen supply, storage and stock position. It will check the steps taken by the hospital for maintaining sufficient oxygen stock with respect to the patients admitted there,” the order states.
Six members on the panel include Dr Amit Kohli, senior anesthetist, LNJP; Dr AC Shukla, medical superintendent, Mata Chanan Devi Hospital, Janak Puri; Dr Naresh Kumar, Director-Professor (Medicine), LNJP and MAMC; Dr JP Singh, medical superintendent, Tirath Ram Hospital in Civil Lines; Dr Sanjeev Kumar, specialist, anesthesia, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital and Surender Kumar from DGHS (HQ).
Earlier in May, 12 patients, including a senior doctor died due to oxygen shortage at Batra Hospital in the national capital. Prior to this on April 24, 20 COVID-19 patients in the Jaipur Golden Hospital passed away due to oxygen shortage.
