Health minister seeks report on status of ventilators from govt hospitals

This follows a report by The Indian Express on August 14 that highlighted that only one out of 15 ventilators was functional in the neurosurgery department of the government's 2,153-bed Lok Nayak Hospital — the largest such facility in the Capital.

By: Express News Service
New Delhi | August 21, 2025 06:20 AM IST

Following The Indian Express report, Lok Nayak Hospital’s neurosurgery department had on August 14 installed five portable ventilators at its ICU unit and secured three ventilator beds of the ICU units of other departments.

Delhi Health Minister Dr Pankaj Singh on Wednesday directed the medical superintendents of all government-run hospitals to submit an immediate action-taken report on the status of ventilators.

This follows a report by The Indian Express on August 14 that highlighted that only one out of 15 ventilators was functional in the neurosurgery department of the government’s 2,153-bed Lok Nayak Hospital — the largest such facility in the Capital.

Stating that patient care and safety are of utmost priority for the Delhi government, Singh said on Wednesday: “We have taken note of ventilator-related issues and have already initiated corrective measures. Directions have been issued to identify, repair, and replace non-functional ventilators without delay.”

“A comprehensive audit of ventilator infrastructure has been initiated to strengthen maintenance and procurement across government hospitals,” he added.

The government is committed to ensuring that no patient is deprived of critical care due to equipment shortage, Singh further said. “We also want our hospitals to reflect both cleanliness and efficiency, which are essential for the well-being of patients,” he added.

Weekly status reports maintained by Lok Nayak Hospital had shown that there were 14 ventilators in the department till August 12 — and none of them was functional. One ventilator was added on August 13.

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