BJP questions Punjab government on ventilators

JALANDHAR: On the decision of the Punjab government to distribute ventilators purchased last year to private hospitals in the face of paucity of manpower, especially anaesthetists to use them, former Punjab BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia asked whether private hospitals would charge rent of ventilators from patients.
He asked the state government to ensure that Covid patients got the facility free of cost.
He also asked if the state government would take these ventilators back from private hospitals after the pandemic eased.
“When 290 ventilators sent by the Modi government remained unused, why were 809 ventilators purchased by the Punjab government?” alleged Kalia, adding that if 809 ventilators have already been purchased by Punjab government, why did Punjab government not refuse to accept the 290 ventilators sent by Modi government.
“That (290 ventilators) could have been utilised in the needy state. In either case, trained manpower to operate ventilators has not been available,” Kalia claimed.