Padmashree Dr Sanjeev Bagai clears air on controversy over deaths due to 'lack of oxygen'

New Delhi, July 21: Padmashree Dr Sanjeev Bagai has given his opinion on the oxygen controversy and presented with "facts" that it is the state's duty to send data to the Centre.

In a video, Bagai said, "I've been observing the full controversy that has been unfolded on the national platform with regards the oxygen crisis in the second wave, not only in Delhi but in elsewhere. Here are certain facts. Health is the state subject. The local logistics, supply, storage and projections of the oxygen are ensured by the state."

"The fact is the states were not contacted and prepared. The meetings with regard to health ministry we don't know. What we want to know is, was there a death audit that was conducted on each and every case? Every case should be analysed, especially in death. Adequate amount of care, regards drugs, oxygen, the amount of time spent by a patient in finding a room or ambulance. All this needs to come in the public domain by each state," he added.

Meanwhile, no data was provided by states on deaths due to oxygen shortage, the Centre had said. This lead to a huge political backlash. At the peak of the second COVID wave, the struggle among India's hospitals and patients had captured global attention.

On Wednesday, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that oxygen shortage led to many deaths in India, including in the national capital. He also slammed the centre and said, "It's completely false to say no one died due to oxygen crisis. Why were hospitals making desperate appeals every day at the High Court? The centre may soon say there was no pandemic."