Q/An expert panel says Delhi could have one lakh cases by the end of June. How well prepared is the capital?
A/ No government anywhere in the world was prepared for the scale of impact that Covid-19 can have. We have been constantly working to enhance the health care capacity in Delhi. We have around 10,000 beds right now. We are already working on augmenting capacity in hospitals and setting up makeshift facilities. By the end of this month, we will have 20,000 beds.
Space is not an issue. We need to put in amenities such as washrooms and drinking water. We have to post medical staff there. That is what we are arranging for. We are scouting banquet halls and stadia. The Delhi government’s schools are closed right now, so we can use their halls to arrange more beds. By the end of July, we will need 80,000 beds.
Q/Did the lockdown help in keeping numbers low, or was the benefit limited?
A/The lockdown did help in controlling the pandemic. Otherwise, there would have been mayhem. It was a time when we augmented our medical infrastructure. More importantly, the lockdown helped in bringing about the behavioural change required to fight Covid-19. People understood the importance of social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands.
Q/The state government’s decision to reserve Delhi’s hospitals for Delhiites was criticised as narrow-minded.
A/These are unprecedented times, which have forced governments to take unprecedented decisions. Weren’t people barred from leaving their homes? Didn’t our neighbouring states Uttar Pradesh and Haryana seal their borders with Delhi? We had to plead with Haryana to let Delhi Police personnel and medical staff who live there come to Delhi. Haryana went to the extent of digging [trenches near] the border. That is narrow-minded.
Q/Lt Governor Anil Baijal has revoked the order reserving hospitals in Delhi for residents. How will you take care of the additional number of patients?
A/I put the same question to the honourable lieutenant governor. I asked him if he had done any calculation on how many more beds would be required and what additional facilities would be needed in the light of his decision. He simply said he had not done any such calculation. We will try our level best to ensure that everyone who approaches Delhi hospitals for treatment gets it.
This is petty politics. We know that he took the decision under political pressure. Now is not the time to do politics, but to fight Covid-19 together.
Q/Will you ask the Centre to ensure that its hospitals in Delhi also reserve more beds for Covid-19 patients?
A/Yes, we will definitely ask the Centre to pitch in, in terms of more number of beds in its hospitals. AIIMS (the All India Institute of Medical Sciences) is a 5,000-bed facility. Why doesn’t the Centre declare it a Covid-only hospital for the time being? That will be a major help.
Q/What is the role of private hospitals now?
A/Private hospitals, unfortunately, have failed to show a commitment to the country. We have been able to regulate private educational institutions; maybe now is the opportunity to bring in greater accountability for private hospitals. We had asked private hospitals to reserve 20 per cent beds for Covid-19 patients. Some of them said they were unable to do so. So we told them: Okay, we will then convert the entire hospital into a Covid-only facility.
Q/There has been a lot of criticism about testing numbers in Delhi going down at a time when the disease is rapidly spreading.
A/It is ridiculous to say that Delhi is not testing enough. Delhi’s testing rate is the highest in the country. We are conducting more than 13,000 tests per million people, compared with 4,000 or 5,000 in other states.
Q/It appears that the Centre and the Delhi government are not on the same page. Is it hampering efforts to curb the spread?
A/We followed every guideline issued by the Centre with regard to Covid-19. While the Centre does have a leadership role in the fight against Covid-19, it is for the states to take decisions on the steps to be taken at the local level. Unfortunately, the Centre chose to interfere in it. This is not a time to fight each other. Either the Centre takes all decisions and all responsibility, or it should let the states decide on how the fight has to take place at the local level.
Q/You asked the Centre for financial aid. Has there been any response?
A/We have not got anything from the Covid-19 relief fund. Other states have got some money from it, but we have got nothing. Delhi’s earnings have dipped sharply. We have asked the Centre to give us Rs5,000 crore.