‘Fake’ ventilators leave Gujarat model gasping for breath

Even as CM Rupani promotes Rajkot-based private company’s ‘breathing apparatus’, Gujarat’s largest Covid-19 hospital urgently seeks full-fledged ventilators from Centre

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has not left his citadel in Gandhinagar and visited Ahmedabad, the worst-hit corona-affected city in the State. But Rupani did so on April 4 when he inaugurated Gujarat-made ventilators at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Now, it is an utter embarrassment for the Gujarat government because it has been revealed that what Rupani’s friend from Rajkot donated and what was set up at Civil hospitals were not exactly ventilators. This utter embarrassment comes 15 days after these machines were fitted at several government hospitals in the state.

Asenior bureaucrat told Ahmedabad Mirror, this is a serious matter. A chief minister passing off Ambu-bag as ventilators is not just criminal but reflects how everything runs in Gujarat government these days under the regime of Rupani. Ahmedabad Mirror has been consistently reporting how Vijay and Anjali Rupani have been promoting Rajkot at the cost of merit. The bureaucrat said first CM Rupani promoted and sheltered his Rajkot coterie of officers. WIthout informing him, first the Centre removed Ahmedabad Collector Vikrant Pandey without taking the CM or his CMO into confidence. Pandey was shunted to a non-significant position in New Delhi. On Sunday night, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra was transferred as Rural Development Commissioner. He also had a strong Rajkot connection.

The bureaucrat said this embarrassment of Chief Minister passing off his friend’s contraption as ventilator is being widely discussed and the High Command has been apprised of the CM’s yet another blunder that puts Gujarat in a poor light.

To go back on April 4, Gujarat CM had said in a statement that in the present scenario of pandemic of ‘Covid-19’, the entire world is facing an acute shortage of availability of sufficient number of ventilators because of the vertical rise in its demand for the treatment of the coronavirus patients. Thus, with the achievement of developing this cheap ventilator Gujarat would become a path breaking leader in the world in the fight against the deadly disease, he added.

When Mirror tried to contact the chief minister, as usual he was not available, but a bureaucrat close to him tried to impress upon Mirrorthat the CM had never called them ventilators in the first place. When Mirror argued, the bureaucrat disconnected the phone. So Mirror dug out Vijay Rupani government’s information department coverage of the same. His government pressnote clearly says that Vijay Rupani called these machines as ventilators.


The pressnote clearly states, “Rajkot-based private company Jyoti CNC had developed the ventilator ‘Dhaman-1’ in a very short period of just 10 days. The manufacturing cost of ‘Dhaman-1’ is less than Rs 1-lakh per piece. This great achievement would add a new feather to Prime Minister Mr Narendrabhai Modi’s dream campaign of ‘Make in India’.”

The CM also went gaga over his friend Parakramsinh Jadeja. “The Chief Minister further stated that Rajkot based local industrialist, Mr. Parakramsinh Jadeja and his team of Jyoti CNC has made a great contribution towards the aim of ‘Make in India, Make in Gujarat’ campaign. Later, Rupani and Patel had congratulated Jadeja and his team for their great achievement,” the release states. The inefficacy of the machines in the treatment of Covid-19 patients came to light after doctors at Ahmedabad Civil sought more ventilators from the government inspite of having 230 Dhaman-1machines.

One senior official said this is not aventilator, this is a mechanised Ambu-bag. However, we have been told that the manufacturer will come to demonstrate an improved product. Sources at Civil hospital said that the main problem is that these are not ICU ventilators and doctors have been told to use them only in extreme conditions.

Speaking on the shortcomings of the Rajkot-manufactured medical equipment, a source at the hospital said, “Currently what is happening in Dhaman-1is that we have to give a lot more oxygen than the ventilators we normally use. So, we cannot use it as a ventilator but perhaps later on it can be used as an interim measure for patients before putting them on a proper ventilator. However, that has to be tested first.”



Parakramsinh Jadeja admitted while talking to Mirror that, “It is not a full-fledged ventilator and it was communicated to the government well in advance. There are several modes in the ventilator, this is to address emergencies. We are developing Dhaman-3 which is a full-fledged ventilator. We have also promised the government to upgrade all the ventilators that we have supplied.

But that will happen only once imports start. We are disheartened to see so much negative talk about our efforts. It clearly looks like someone’s mischief.” However, the company has clearly mentioned Dhaman-1 h is ICU Ventilator with compressorbased technology on website and brochure.

However, despite having Dhaman-1 machines, the government has sent a request to the Centre for 300 new full-fledged ventilators on an urgent basis of the total 1,500 ventilators required in Gujarat. Dr Jaiprakash Modi, head of the 1,200-bed Covid-19 hospital said, “The government asked us what we wanted and at the behest of our expert doctors who are handling the ICU, we sought high-end ventilators for our hospital.”

Principal Secretary Health, Jayanti Ravi said, “Even while developed countries and largest cities have no ventilators and it is difficult to get ventilators, Jyoti CNC took an initiative of fabrication and gave 1,000 ventilators for free. It has all required parameters and tested by EQDC. Similarly our civil hospital expert team has also seen its working and approved it. ”

Shaktisinh Gohil, national spokesperson Indian National Congress told Mirror, “It is very worrisome. Civil superintendent wrote a letter on May 15 clearly stating that according to the head of anaesthesia both the ventilators are not giving expected results for Covid19.”

Calling it clear negligence, the superintendent has clearly stated that it is not giving expected results, Gohil said. “Whose influence or direction the ventilator was installed too by the company which is of the same city as Chief Minister, Rajkot. The company representatives had not even gone to civil hospital. Who are the directors and how much funds have they given to BJP should also be investigated.” He demanded an inquiry .