Neyaz Elahi
Srinagar (NVI): Out of the 12 units of ventilators that the SKIMS Medical College Bemina in Srinagar has made payments for, only 4 units have been installed so far.
Within a period of 9 months from March to November, 2020, 75 Covid-19 related deaths have been recorded at SKIMS medical college.
The hospital admitted and examined 1,469 Covid-19 affected patients during this period.
The irony is that out of 12 units of ventilators that hospital intended to purchase from different companies, it installed only 4 units while no seriousness was shown to procure or install rest of the 8 units of ventilators.
Despite making payments through Jammu Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation, the hospital failed to procure ventilators.
The information supplied by the hospital in response to an application filed by Human Rights Activist and senior Journalist MM Shujah under Right to Information Act reveals that JVC SKIMS Bemina transferred money to Jammu Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation to purchase 12 units of ventilators.
“Neither it received nor did the hospital install ventilators during the period when there was a surge in Covid-19 pandemic,” the information added.
The hospital received and installed only 4 units of ventilators between March and November. “No adult and paediatric ventilators were received or installed in the hospital.”
“We make purchases through Jammu Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation. We transferred money to the Corporation but it failed so. Jammu Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation had informed us that ventilators have been purchased from ‘Maquet Mecial’ and they will soon arrive in the hospital but nothing like that happened,” said an official.
The four units of ventilators that have been received and installed by the hospital were procured from ‘Smiths Medical’ and ‘Meditec England.’
Notably, funds in crores were sanctioned for the hospital to procure virus related drugs, items and equipment after the outbreak of Covid-19 last year.
-CHK
