Karnataka has managed to procure just 30 ventilators till date. And as if that wasn’t enough a Delhi-based company delivered 15 refurbished ventilators - one of which had a run-time of more than five years.
The government was forced to return these faulty ventilators noting that they were unfit to treat Covid-19 patients. Authorities say that no payment was made for the company after the ventilators were found to be used and tampered with.
According to the letter by N Manjushree, Commissioner, Food Safety and Standard Authority and Additional Director, Karnataka State Drug Logistics and Warehousing Society, to RK Medical Solution Company, the ventilators did not possess any standard certificates, or proof of model number and manufacturing details.
“Ventilators found used and tampered, with broken/old stands,” the letter read, noting that one of the ventilators “has the machine running hours of 46,583 hours,” - equivalent to five years and four months. Moreover, the ventilators did not have many essential modes required for treatment of Covid-19 patients.
This came at a time when the government is looking to ramp up its healthcare facilities with additional ventilators required for severe Covid-19 cases. While the government is expecting the delivery of 125 ventilators from the Mysuru-based Skanray Technologies Pvt Ltd, the Centre-run HLL Lifecare Ltd has to deliver 1,380 ventilators.
When contacted, Manjushree told DH that order from the Delhi-based firm was cancelled and sent back. “No money will be paid (for the ventilators) until they are installed at a health facility,” she said. This is the only batch of ventilators received by the state that did not clear pre-dispatch inspection, she added.
RK Medical Solution Company was not available for comment, despite multiple attempts to contact the firm.
The government has maintained not all Covid-19 patients require ventilators. However, it wants to be ready with enough ventilators to deal with any eventuality.