Chennai, May 9(BPNS)

Many of the hospitals in Coimbatore are turning away patients with breathing difficulties as they are expecting a shortage of Oxygen even as presently these hospitals have beds with Oxygen supply.

A doctor with a leading hospital of Coimbatore while speaking to BPNS said, “We are not admitting new patients as we fear that the Oxygen we have at present may not be sufficient for our existing patients. We are indeed facing a crisis and have to get a huge supply of oxygen and to add extra beds to tide over this.”

However relatives of patients have found that there are ample beds with Oxygen available in these hospitals on Saturday night. Ramanarayanan, brother of a patient who was turned down by a hospital in Coimbatore after a study found that there are good enough beds available but hospitals are turning down patients.

While speaking to BPNS, Ramanarayanan who is working in a private foundry said, “My brother had breathing difficulties and when I brought him to the hospital ,they told me that there are no beds. However I have a few friends who are in the medical profession and they told me that there are enough beds available and the hospitals are trying not to provide admission to new patients to cater to the existing patients.”

As per the TNEGA website, beds are vacant at eight government hospitals in rural areas and at Periyanaickenpalayam, Mettur, Thondamuthur and Kottur.

Even as there are beds available as per the tnega website, the hospitals are not providing admission to Covid patients. When contacted by BPNS, Sankaranarayanan , a senior health official with the Tamil Nadu government services said ,” We will look into the matter and bring up a solution. Hospitals with Oxygen beds available have to admit patients and the government will take necessary action immediately.”