Surat: Ventilators sent to hospital in ‘trash collection vehicle’, probe ordered

Sources said Surat New Civil Hospital has 250 ventilators attached to beds of which 215 are occupied, while SMIMER hospital run by SMC has 178 ventilators, of which 117 are occupied.

Anticipating the need for ventilators in the coming days, SMC had, through the state government, sought more ventilators. After approval, around 20 ventilators from Valsad Civil Hospital were allotted to SMIMER Hospital.

On Monday, two tempos used by SMC for trash collection were sent to Valsad Civil Hospital to collect the ventilators, sources said.
Videos of ventilators being transported in the vehicles, shot by some local residents in Valsad, went viral on social media, the sources added.

Surat Municipal Commissioner B N Pani said, “We have come across an incident wherein ventilators were brought in such vehicles and even proper packing was not done. We have ordered the health department to give an explanation.”

Valsad district collector R R Raval said, “We have come to know about the issue. I have asked the Civil Hospital authorities why such carelessness has been done. There are 34 ventilators at New Civil Hospital, including a total of 50 ventilators in the district at government and private hospitals.”