Out of the 15 ventilators currently available at the neurosurgery department of Delhi Government’s Lok Nayak Hospital, only one is functional. The 2,153-bed hospital is the largest such facility in the national capital.

The weekly status report maintained by the hospital shows that there were a total of 14 non-functional ventilators in the department until Tuesday. A functional one was added on Wednesday, according to the records. Ten out of the total ventilators have been non-functional for eight months, while two have been out of order for about a year, and two more for over two years now. On the contrary, the hospital conducts 10 emergency surgeries a month on average, below their actual capacity of 20 to 25 previously.

The two ventilators that have been non-functional for over two years were procured during the COVID-19 epidemic from the PM CARES Fund. When asked about the pathetic situation of the ventilators in Lok Nayak Hospital, the director of the hospital and Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh did not respond to the queries of the national media.

Ventilators Crucial For Treatment

Ventilators are important during post-operative care in cases of trauma and accidents to provide respiratory and other critical support to patients recovering from severe medical emergencies. While Lok Nayak Hospital is among the three top Delhi government hospitals that provide 24/7 emergency neurosurgery services, unavailable ventilators are a big hurdle for patient recovery.

Currently, the neurosurgery department of the hospital has 86 inpatient beds and provides acute-level care to patients with trauma and pathology of the brain, spine, spinal cord, and peripheral neuro injury. The lack of ventilators has led to a drop in the number of these surgeries performed each month.

The national media reports that before the ventilators stopped working, an average of 30 to 35 elective surgeries and 20 to 25 emergency neurosurgeries were conducted in two operation theatres every month. However, the numbers have come down to 20 elective and 10 emergency surgeries on average per month. Cases are being prioritised and shortlisted, with preference given to those where a ventilator is not required.

The national media also reported that patients who require ventilator support are being shifted to the general surgery department ICU, which has 15 ventilator beds. This ICU ward can accommodate patients who have undergone surgeries in the orthopaedic and medicine departments. In case many surgeries are conducted, patients are being provided with Ambu bags—respiratory devices that have to be compressed manually and are used for short-term respiratory support in emergencies.

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