New Delhi: When this Delhi resident rushed to the gate of the Bhai Lakhi Shah Vanjara Hall of Delhi’s Rakab Ganj Gurdwara Monday evening, it was for his wife, a Covid-19 patient, who was having trouble breathing in the backseat of their WagonR.
Their daughter, sitting beside her mother, was rubbing her chest to ease the discomfort.
As he reached the entrance of the new Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Covid-19 Medical Isolation and Treatment Centre, he yelled in despair: “I am not afraid of anyone. I will name whoever is responsible for my wife’s condition; I just want her to get treated.”
Half an hour later, a relieved smiling man, who refused to be identified, came out of the centre and apologised for his outburst. “I cannot even explain the number of hospitals I have been to and calls I have made. This place is a blessing,” he told ThePrint.
Much like him, Manjinder Sabharwal, a resident of Rohini, breathed a sigh of relief after admitting his mother — Tilochan Kaur — who had tested positive for Covid two weeks back but is still struggling with low oxygen levels.
“My mother’s oxygen levels are still between 85-91 so we came here,” he said. “I have only managed tele-consultations with doctors, so I am glad I came here to ensure better care for her as there are both doctors and oxygen concentrators. It has been a scary time.”
On its first day, the newly operational 400-bed Covid facility at the Rakab Ganj Gurdwara Monday saw a steady stream of patients.
Operational post 2 pm, the facility has been set up by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), along with the Delhi government, to combat the shortage of beds and resources in the capital city as it battles the second wave of Covid.
The centre, to treat mild to moderate Covid-19 cases, is expected to ease the load of the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital, which is among the main hospitals in Delhi for Covid treatment.
400-bed facility for 400 years of Sikh guru
The 400-bed facility, meant to treat mild and moderate Covid cases will admit patients who have oxygen levels of 85 and above.
Patients can get themselves admitted either through walk-ins, referrals from LNJP hospital or by calling the helpline for the Covid care facility.
Inderjeet Singh Monty, an executive member of the DSGMC, said forms could be filled later by the families. “Our main focus is the care of the patient,” he said.
The facility is equipped with oxygen concentrators and cylinders, medicines for treatment as well as a resuscitation room, which functions as an ICU with four beds.
Monty explained that the facility was set up seeing the dismal condition of the national capital as it battled the pandemic.
“April-end things got so bad that each hospital had numerous dead bodies, there were days of waiting at crematoriums, no oxygen cylinders and black marketing of remdesivir,” he said. “Seeing all this, the President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, decided we must do something.”
He said 1 May marked four hundred years of the Sikh guru — Guru Tegh Bahadur and in his memory a 400-bed facility was inaugurated.
The Covid centre was set up in just 10 days and just about a week back, the Delhi government also came on board. They helped in incorporating International Human Rights Organization (IHRO), a Delhi-based NGO that works for social development that has provided doctors and health workers for the facility.
Each bed in the facility is equipped with two oxygen concentrators of 5-10 litres of oxygen, along with a fan, chair and speaker.
When asked why a speaker, Monty explained, “We are looking at overall care. Besides physical care we will also be playing gurbani and kirtan to help ease people’s anxiety and we even have physiotherapy.”
With adequate social distancing there are separate columns accommodating all these beds in an air conditioned large hall. The facility also has a separate partition for women and children.
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Provisions of new Covid facility
Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendra Jain reviewed the facility Monday morning and thanked the DSGMC on Twitter.
The 400 bedded Covid Care & treatment Center at Gurudwara Rakab ganj is commencing service from today.
Visited the facility to review the amenities. It is equipped with oxygen support and medicines.
Thankful to Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee for their undying support. pic.twitter.com/4PZtzu9UGB
— Satyendar Jain (@SatyendarJain) May 10, 2021
Jain also made dietary recommendations for what should be provided at the facility such as black channa.
The guru ka langar will have nutritious and healthy food prescribed by doctors, explained volunteer workers of the gurdwara.
Nem Singh Premi, the IHRO chairman, told ThePrint the main aim of the facility was to ease the load of LNJP. “We have roughly 50 doctors and a total of 200 health workers here,” Premi said. “One hopes we don’t see too many patients but I can already see people walking in. We came on board after Arvind Kejriwal called us to help out.”
Dr. Rajesh Kumar, national IHRO director, explained the facility was set up to add to the avenues of treatment for patients in Delhi. “We are seeing over 17,000 cases daily and more than 300 deaths, with a case positivity rate of more than 23 per cent.”
Besides the Delhi government, the Covid facility also has Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan’s support as he has donated Rs 2 crore to the facility.
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