Delhi Covid-19 patients in home isolation can now apply online to get oxygen

As caretakers of patients scramble to get oxygen in the national capital, the Delhi government has set up a web portal to supply life-saving gas to those in home isolation after being infected with the coronavirus.

The portal -- delhi.gov.in -- will go live on Thursday. Those requiring oxygen can apply with a valid photo id, Aadhar card details, Covid positive report and other documents like CT scan report if available, an order by the Delhi government read.

Delhi Covid-19 patients

District magistrates have been given the responsibility to identify "dedicated dealers/depots to distribute such cylinders to individuals who shall not be redirected to refilling plants under any circumstances".

"The district magistrates shall ensure that adequate number of office personnel are assigned to scrutinise all incoming applications and issue e-passes quickly as time is of essence in such cases," the order read.

"This may be accorded top priority. The DMs shall ensure that the dealers regularly get their cylinders refilled from the designated refilling plants," it added.

Based on the stock availability, the district magistrates will issue a pass having the date, time and address of the dealer/depot from where the oxygen cylinder can be issued/exchanged.

The order said a provision of lump-sum allocation of oxygen (to be given through cylinders) for individuals, non-Covid hospitals, nursing homes , ambulances and SOS cylinders of Covid hospitals running on LMO had already been made against re-fillers with each district being assigned a re-filler.

"However, reports are being received of long queues at cylinder refilling plants also leading to public safety and public health hazard issues," it said.

This portal has been created "to streamline the entire system of distribution of the lump-sum allocation under the supervision of district magistrates and also in order to facilitate the public to access these cylinders with certainty", the order said.

Oxygen pool

Amid an uproar, the administration in the national capital is taking several steps to ensure oxygen supply to those in need.

A common pool of oxygen cylinders is being created in every district for patients in home isolation and to meet the emergency needs of the city's hospitals.

In each district, a bus depot of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) will serve as the hub that will be initially stocked with 20 oxygen cylinders, said a transport department order.

Concerned district magistrates will be responsible for the judicious use of the cylinders through distribution among Covid patients in home isolation and hospitals having urgent requirement of oxygen.

The DTC has deployed its buses to ferry oxygen cylinders to hospitals having emergency requirements.

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