13 of 14 ventilators at GMC Baramulla non-functional for 9 months: RTI

Baramulla, Sep 10: Thirteen of the 14 ventilators available in the Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology at Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla have remained non-functional for the past nine months, an RTI response has revealed.
The information was furnished in response to an RTI application filed by Inam Un Nabi Soudagar, seeking details about the availability, procurement and functioning of ventilators at the medical college.
According to the response, only one of the 14 ventilators is currently functional, while 13 are out of service due to the non-availability of consumables and pending replacement of certain components.
The hospital stated that five Hamilton C1 ventilators were procured in 2020, five Evolution 3e ventilators in 2021 and four ventilators under a Central Government scheme through NHM in 2022.
The RTI response further revealed that no expenditure had been incurred on repair and maintenance of ventilators since January 2020. It also stated that none of the machines had been declared condemned or beyond repair.
An official from GMC Baramulla said that repair work has been ordered and the hospital is awaiting some spare parts from outside.
“Some spare parts are required from outside and have been ordered. Once these are received, the non-functional ventilators will be made operational at the earliest,” the official said. (KNO)