176 PM-Cares ventilators lie uninstalled in Karnataka; installed ones break down frequently

As many as 176 ventilators supplied to Karnataka under PM Cares Fund have not been installed.

Of the 2,913 ventilators received by the state so far, only 2,737 have been installed.

Though the health department maintains that the installation is need-based, medical colleges and hospitals using the ventilators that have already been supplied complained of technical defects and frequent breakdowns.

While the health department's data showed a higher number of units supplied, when DH contacted individual hospitals, it was revealed that they received fewer machines.

According to the health department's data, MS Ramaiah Hospital received 60 ventilators, out of which 50 had already been supplied and the remaining 10 were dispatched on May 11 this year.

On the contrary, the hospital's Associate Dean Dr Harish K said they had received only 40 ventilators. He pointed out that while the hospital's ventilators procured directly from companies were of superior quality and efficient, the ventilators provided under the PM Cares Fund, 'frequently go out of order.'

"During the second wave's peak, ventilators ran 24/7. They weren't very sturdy while we needed them for long hours. With Covid, no ventilator can be given a rest. Every one or two days they would break down. At any given time, only 25 would be functional and the remaining would be constantly under repair. The machines would get heated up and start malfunctioning. We had to switch them off for six hours before using them again. There were a lot of issues," he said.

Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute Dean Dr CP Nanjaraj revealed more serious problems. "The modes in the ventilator would automatically switch between non-invasive ventilation, paediatric and adult modes," he said.

This required constant monitoring by the nurses who were in short supply. "Each ventilator patient needs three to four nurses doing six to eight-hour shifts each. In contrast, we had one nurse for 10 patients. This time we have sought 270 nurses for 90 of our ventilators. All 93 ventilators were occupied by Covid patients during the peak this year," he said.

They have been supplied 50 ventilators so far.

Similarly, according to the health department's data, Rajarajeswari Medical College (RRMC) and Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) were supplied 35 and 30 ventilators respectively. But RRMC said it received only 20 ventilators which developed snags that the hospital repaired by itself. KIMS said it had received only 20 ventilators.