CMO denies ventilators supplied by Centre lying idle

Bengaluru: After media reports surfaced that the ventilators received by Karnataka under PM Cares were lying idle, the Chief Minister's Office on Sunday said that the State received 2,025 ventilators during the phase one, of which 2025 were installed at district hospitals (578), government medical colleges (574), taluka hospitals (708), CHCs (24), private hospitals and medical colleges (141).

"All the ventilators supplied to district hospitals, medical colleges and private medical colleges and hospitals are confirmed to be in use and indeed there is a huge demand for additional ventilators in these institutions which are being examined and met continuously. In taluka hospitals where regular tele-rounds are held the use of 571 out of 708 ventilators supplied and installed have been confirmed," the statement from the CMO read.

The statement further said that Karnataka has taken the ICU care to the taluka hospitals by oxygenating 50 beds and creating 6 ICU s with ventilators after the first wave.

"Karnataka is among the few States where ICU care has been taken to taluka level. In the second phase 888 ventilators have been received, of which 712 have been installed at health facilities. Remaining 176 would be distributed based on the need," the CMO statement said.

The media reported that several ventilators developed technical impediments to which the CMO responded by saying that technical snags in machines were routine. "However, dedicated helplines for services related issues have been provided by vendor companies that have supplied the ventilators to the State. Some of the technical issues noticed during the first wave have now been set right and the ventilators are functional," the statement added.

During installation of the ventilators, a demo was given to the hospital staff on the use of the machines. There is provision for regular capacity building of health facility staff (medical and paramedical) on ventilator use online.

As a proactive measure, the health department had announced in September 2020 that private hospitals could depend on the government for ventilators to treat Covid-19 patients. Accordingly strengthening ICUs in private medical establishments and private medical colleges has been done through provision of ventilators, the CMO said.

The statement further said that except all the ventilators, except 176 have been installed.