SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government is taking measures to restore and maintain ventilators at Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla to ensure uninterrupted critical-care services, Health and Medical Education Minister Sakeena Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
Replying to a Calling Attention Motion moved by MLA Javid Hassan Baig during the Autumn Session, Itoo said the government had accorded priority to ensuring the availability and functionality of critical-care equipment in government medical institutions.
The minister informed the House that GMC Baramulla has 14 ventilators, including five Hamilton, five Evolution and four Oxivent units. She said all the machines are imported and require specialised consumables and servicing through authorised agencies.
According to Itoo, the functionality of all ventilators has been reviewed and remedial measures have already been initiated to restore non-functional units.
She said the department had also approached the concerned company’s headquarters to procure required consumables and obtain servicing support to maintain continuity of critical-care services.
The minister further informed the House that the earlier Biomedical Equipment Maintenance and Management Programme (BEMMP) arrangement through Mediciti Healthcare Services Private Limited under the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) had expired.
She said the matter was currently under consideration by JKMSCL for finalisation of a long-term maintenance mechanism for biomedical equipment in government health institutions.
