Delhi govt to give Rs 5 lakh compensation to kin of those who died due oxygen shortage

The Delhi government will compensate families of COVID patients who died due to a shortage of oxygen with up to Rs 5 lakh in recompense. This sum would be added to the Rs 50,000 compensation already offered for families of individuals who died as a result of COVID-19 infection. This sum would be added to the Rs 50,000 compensation already offered for families of individuals who died as a result of COVID-19 infection.

Delhi govt to give Rs 5 lakh compensation

The administration of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has constituted a committee of six doctors to design the compensation framework. The committee will establish the mechanism for granting a maximum compensation of Rs 5 lakh.
It will be able to inspect any documentation from the hospital concerning oxygen delivery, stock, and storage. The report of this committee will be sent to Delhi's Principal Secretary for Health. According to the directive, the committee will investigate whether the hospital's oxygen was utilised appropriately and in accordance with the rules.

Due to a lack of oxygen, 12 patients at Delhi's Batra Hospital, including a top doctor, died earlier this month. On April 24, 20 COVID patients died at Jaipur Golden Hospital as the desperate search for oxygen continued in the national capital as COVID-19 cases soared. The order read, "A committee is hereby constituted to assess on case to case basis, complaints and/or representations received regarding death due to lack of oxygen, for grant of ex-gratia compensation over and above the no-fault ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 already ordered by the government. The Committee would draw up objective criteria to award compensation, limited to a maximum of Rs 5 lakhs in each case."

COVID-19 crisis in Delhi due to oxygen shortage

The committee will look into the actions taken by the hospital to ensure that there is enough oxygen for the patients who are admitted there, according to the statement. The committee includes-- Dr Naresh Kumar, Director-Professor (Medicine), LNJP and MAMC, Dr Amit Kohli, senior anesthetist, LNJP, Dr Sanjeev Kumar, specialist, anesthesia, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, Surender Kumar from the DGHS (HQ), Dr A C Shukla, medical superintendent, Mata Chanan Devi Hospital, Janak Puri, and Dr JP Singh, medical superintendent, Tirath Ram Hospital.

(with inputs from ANI)

Picture Credit: PTI