Why are there unused ventilators at GMCH?

Sixty ventilators acquired during the Covid-19 pandemic are unusable due to expired maintenance contracts and a lack of trained staff to operate them.

What are patients using instead of ventilators at GMCH?

Due to the scarcity of functional ventilators, patients' loved ones are forced to use ambu bags for extended periods.

What is GMCH doing about the ventilator shortage?

New ventilators are reportedly in the supply stage and are expected to arrive within 45 days, according to the GMCH director principal.

Home / Health / GMCH: Dusty Ventilators While Patients Struggle

GMCH: Dusty Ventilators While Patients Struggle

26 Feb

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Summary

Sixty ventilators lie unused due to expired maintenance contracts.
Critical patients are forced to use ambu bags while ventilators are idle.
Staffing shortages and logistical issues prevent full ventilator utilization.

GMCH: Dusty Ventilators While Patients Struggle

Families fighting for loved ones at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, are facing a desperate situation due to a severe ventilator shortage. The hospital currently has around 60 functional ventilators, but the demand often exceeds this capacity. A significant issue is the presence of 60 additional ventilators, acquired during the Covid-19 pandemic, that are currently unusable and gathering dust.

The primary reasons for these ventilators remaining idle are the hospital administration's inability to renew their annual maintenance contracts, each costing approximately ₹4 lakh, and a critical lack of trained manpower. Operating a single ICU ventilator requires a substantial team, including anaesthetists, nurses, resident doctors, and technical staff across multiple shifts.