"RTI Shock: Nine months without functional paediatric ventilators" (Image: Dynamite News)
Srinagar: A major gap in paediatric and neonatal critical care has emerged at Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla, where 13 out of 14 ventilators meant for children are reportedly non-functional for nearly nine months. The details came to light through a Right to Information (RTI) response, raising concerns over the availability and maintenance of life-saving medical equipment.
According to records accessed through the RTI application filed by Inam Un Nabi Soudagar, only one paediatric ventilator is currently operational at the medical college, while the remaining machines are awaiting consumables and replacement parts.
The RTI response revealed that GMC Baramulla’s ventilator infrastructure was developed through multiple procurement phases. Five Hamilton C1 ventilators were purchased in 2020, followed by five Evolution 3e ventilators in 2021. Another four machines were procured in 2022 under a Central Government-supported programme through the National Health Mission.
Despite having 14 ventilators in its inventory, the hospital records show that only one machine is functioning at present. The hospital has attributed the prolonged downtime to the unavailability of required consumables and certain spare components.
Another key detail highlighted in the RTI response is that no expenditure has been recorded for repair and maintenance of these ventilators since January 2020. The records also state that none of the non-functional machines has been declared condemned or beyond repair.
The issue has gained importance as ventilators are considered critical equipment in paediatric and neonatal care, where patients with severe respiratory complications often require immediate life support.
GMC Baramulla officials have stated that efforts are underway to restore the non-functional ventilators. A hospital official said that necessary spare parts have been ordered from outside and the machines will be made operational after receiving the required components. The official said that some parts were unavailable locally and had been ordered, after which restoration work would be completed at the earliest.
The disclosure has triggered questions over the maintenance and operational readiness of medical equipment purchased through public funds. While GMC Baramulla has assured that corrective steps have begun, the prolonged non-functionality of 13 ventilators remains a concern for the hospital’s paediatric and neonatal critical-care capacity.
