SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday informed the Legislative Assembly that 219 of the 877 ventilators installed across hospitals in the Union Territory are currently non-functional, indicating gaps in critical care capacity.
Responding to a question from MLA Shamim Firdous, Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo said that 658 ventilators are operational while 219 are not in working condition.
Providing institution-wise details, the Minister stated that Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and its associated hospitals have 320 ventilators, of which 209 are functional and 111 are non-functional. In SMHS Srinagar, eight ventilators are out of order, while 44 are non-functional in GMC Srinagar’s associated hospitals excluding SMHS.
At GMC Anantnag, only 10 of 36 ventilators are functional. The number of non-functional ventilators stands at two in GMC Baramulla, ten in GMC Doda, two in GMC Kathua and three in GMC Rajouri. All ventilators at GMC Udhampur and GMC Handwara — 39 and six respectively — are operational.
The government further stated that in SKIMS and its associated hospitals, 40 out of 53 ventilators are functional, while 13 remain non-operational.
