Lying unused, PMC to use 200 ventilators as per requirement

Officials said an estimated 200 of these expensive pieces of medical equipment, worth a few crores of rupees, are in storage at the former DCH in Baner

Months after authorities closed jumbo hospitals as Covid wave ebbed, ventilators from these large and other Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) facilities set up to treat Covid patients are lying unused at the dedicated Covid hospital (DCH) in Baner that was also shut down a few months ago.

The jumbo Covid facility at COEP was dismantled in March 2022. (Hindustan Times)

Officials said an estimated 200 of these expensive pieces of medical equipment, worth a few crores of rupees, are in storage at the former DCH in Baner.

PMC said it will be using 200 of these ventilators as per requirement sought by civic hospitals. All these ventilators were used at Covid care facilities during the last two years.

The jumbo Covid facility at COEP was dismantled in March 2022.

When asked about the update on 200 unused ventilators, Vikram Kumar, Pune municipal commissioner, said, “Please speak with the HOD of health department.”

“A few of these ventilators are used in Kamla Nehru Hospital while others are kept safely at Baner,” said Dr Sanjeev Wavare, assistant medical chief, PMC health department. The number of ventilators used in Kamla Nehru Hospital was not clarified by Wavare.

Ravindra Binawade, additional municipal commissioner, said, “All the ventilators will be used by PMC-run hospitals.”

During the Covid pandemic, COEP jumbo facility had 60 ventilators, Naidu Hospital (51), Baner jumbo unit (60), Dalvi Hospital (16) and 10 at ESI hospitals.

Ayush Prasad, CEO, Pune Zilla Parishad said, “Majority of the ventilators was acquired by PMC. The machinery that zilla parishad received was sent to trauma centres at Aundh district hospitals and Baramati Medical College.”

Pimpri-Chinchwad officials claimed that they have been able to utilise all equipment in civic hospitals.

Dr Laxman Gophane, assistant medical officer of health, PCMC, said, “Most of the ventilators are used in our other multispecialty hospital. All material from Auto Cluster and Balnagari jumbo Covid facility are being used at our running facilities. Ventilators are being used at our 750-bed Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital. Other facilities where materials were distributed are Thergaon Hospital, Akurdi Hospitals, Jijamata Hospital and Bhosari medical centre.

“Some ventilators (I don’t remember the exact figure) are packed and kept at our civic facility,” Gophane said.