Ashok Gehlot welcomes PM's directions for audit of installation of ventilators

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday welcomed the prime minister's directions for audit of installation and operation of ventilators provided by the central government.

"The prime minister's decision to get the audit of ventilators provided from PM CARES Fund is a step in the right direction. There should be a thorough investigation as to how defective ventilators were supplied to the states," Gehlot said.

Gehlot had on Thursday raised questions on the ventilators and had demanded an inquiry in the matter.

Referring to media reports, the chief minister said that 59,000 ventilators were purchased from about 10 companies through HLL Life Care Limited, a Government of India company, but some of the companies had no experience in the manufacturing of ventilators.

“Therefore, defective ventilators were supplied to many states. Because of this, these ventilators were not used by doctors in most of the places in view of the risk to the lives of the patients,” he said.

“I hope that the Government of India will take the strongest possible action against the companies which supplied defective ventilators after conducting an impartial probe,” he added.

Chairing a high-level meeting, the prime minister took serious note of some reports about ventilators lying unutilised in storage in some states and directed that an immediate audit of installation and operation of ventilators provided by the central government be carried out.

He added that refresher training for properly operating ventilators should be provided to healthcare workers if necessary, the PMO said.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Saturday directed officials to focus on door-to-door survey, testing and tracking of coronavirus patients in Jaipur district which has the highest number of active cases in the state.

Of the total 2,08,688 active cases in the state, 49,595 are in Jaipur district alone. 

On direction from the chief minister to make a strategy to contain the spread of infection in Jaipur, the health minister held a virtual meeting with officials and gave necessary instructions.

He said that more focus will be given on door-to-door survey and testing in the entire district.

"RTPCR tests and rapid antigen tests will be conducted on large scale in rural areas through mobile vans of the health department so that positive patients can be detected and their treatment could be started,” he said.

The minister also directed officials to convert 20 community health centres in Jaipur district as Covid-19 Care Centres so that the load of patients on hospitals could be reduced.

All facilities like oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, medicines will be provided in these centres, he said.