219 Ventilators Defunct In 10 GMCs, SKIMS In Jammu And Kashmir: Govt

Jammu : The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday said 219 ventilators are defunct in 10 government medical colleges and the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences across the Union Territory.
In a written reply to a starred question raised by MLA Shamim Firdous in the Assembly, Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo provided hospital-wise details of functional and defunct ventilators in government medical colleges (GMCs), associated hospitals and other major health institutions, including SKIMS.
Out of a total of 877 ventilators, 658 are functional while 219 are defunct, the official data said.
According to the data tabled in the House, GMC Jammu and its associated hospitals have a total of 320 ventilators, of which 209 are functional while 111 are non-functional.
Similarly, GMC Srinagar’s SMHS Hospital has 76 ventilators, with 68 functional and eight non-functional, while its other associated hospitals have 173 ventilators, including 44 that are not working.
The data further said that at GMC Anantnag and its associated hospitals, only 10 ventilators are functional against 26 defunct ones, out of a total of 36.
GMC Baramulla reported two non-functional ventilators out of 41, while GMC Doda has 10 defunct ventilators out of 27 installed.
GMC Kathua reported two non-functional ventilators out of 52, GMC Rajouri three out of 54, and GMC Udhampur reported all 39 ventilators to be functional. GMC Handwara also reported all six ventilators as functional.
At the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, 13 out of 53 ventilators were reported to be non-functional. (Agencies)