Delhi health minister conducts surprise check at LNJP Hospital, says all 80 ventilators operational

New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh on Friday conducted a surprise inspection at the LNJP Hospital, and directed officials to ensure uninterrupted functioning of all life-saving equipment, including ventilators.

Singh said all the 80 ventilators at the hospital are operational, with 18 kept reserved for emergencies, and assured that any technical fault will be fixed within 24 hours.

During his visit, the minister directed officials to ensure uninterrupted availability of critical care infrastructure, and emphasised the government's commitment to delivering accessible and quality healthcare to every citizen.

"There is no need to panic. We have 80 ventilators and all are working. We have also reserved 18 ventilators for emergency patients. If any machine develops a fault, it is repaired within 24 hours," Singh said while interacting with mediapersons after the inspection.

The minister visited the hospital's emergency and intensive care units, where he interacted with doctors, nursing staff, patients, and attendants to take stock of the existing facilities and patient care arrangements.

He assured that the Delhi government will extend full support to the hospital to address any gaps or issues highlighted by the staff or patients.

On reports of non-functional ventilators, Singh termed them "misleading and factually incorrect", and said such misinformation only cause unnecessary public panic.

"It is impossible for a hospital of LNJP's stature and footfall to have a significant number of ventilators out of order. The reports being circulated are not based on facts," Singh said, adding that official maintenance records clearly indicate that all the ventilators are in working condition.

Singh also said that 222 ventilators are available under central procurement, which can be allotted to any Delhi government hospital as per requirement.

"We have adequate resources to ensure that no patient in Delhi suffers due to a lack of life-support systems," he said.

Sharing infrastructure upgrades, the minister said MRI and CT scan machines will be installed at all Delhi government hospitals by January 2026.

"The procurement process is underway, and by early next year, every government hospital in Delhi will be equipped with these critical diagnostic facilities," he said.

Singh added that this initiative is part of the government's broader vision to strengthen Delhi's healthcare network and make it one of the best in the country.

Singh also pointed out the challenges his department inherited from the previous administration, stating that "it will take some time to bring everything in order after 11 years of mismanagement".

He alleged that under the previous (AAP) regime, patients often faced shortages of medicines, while expired drugs were found in the hospital stores.

"We have ensured that no such malpractice continues and that every government hospital remains adequately stocked with essential medicines," Singh said.

On the controversy surrounding the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly due to consumption of toxic cough syrups, the minister said Delhi is following all the advisories issued by the Centre.

"The government of India has taken cognisance of the matter, and we are acting strictly in line with its directions to ensure public safety," Singh said. PTI NSM ARI