Oxygen shortage stalls operation of Bir Hospital's new building

KATHMANDU, May 15: The Bir Hospital is unable to use its new hospital block due to the shortage of medical oxygen.

Although the government decided to use the New Surgical Building for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, the new surgical block has not yet been operated due to the oxygen shortage.

Hospital director Dr Shanta Sapkota said even though preparations were made for using the new building for treating the COVID-19 patients as directed by the government, they have not been able to run the Covid hospital from the new building as they could not get the oxygen.

There is demand for 15 thousand oxygen cylinders per day while only 7,200 cylinders are produced in the country at present.

"We had made all preparations for keeping the patients in the new building but had to stop it for lack of oxygen," she said, adding that the COVID-19 patients need oxygen and there is no oxygen. So, they could not keep the patients in the new building without arranging for oxygen.

Dr Sapkota said at least 600 oxygen cylinders were needed for operating the new hospital for COVID-19 patients. She added that efforts were on to manage the oxygen and the patients would be kept at the new facility once oxygen is available.

Originally, the plan was to keep 100 to 300 beds in the new building. It has 500 beds.