NEW DELHI: Medical equipment purchased during the Covid-19 pandemic, including ventilators, oxygen concentrators, masks, and PPE kits that have remained unused for years in GTB Hospital’s warehouse will now be distributed to hospitals across Delhi and other states. The Health Department has issued advisory outlining guidelines for their use and redistribution to central hospitals, city-run health institutes, and other states’ hospitals.
The decision comes after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s surprise visit to GTB Hospital, where she expressed concern over the stockpiled yet unutilised medical equipment. During her inspection, she discovered that several critical and expensive medical devices were lying unattended in hospital warehouses without proper supervision. Expressing displeasure over the negligence, the CM directed hospital authorities to immediately ensure better utilization of these resources. Following her orders, the Health Department has issued corrective measures and instructed all government hospitals to properly store equipment per safety norms. Technical experts will inspect the machines, assess their condition, and make them functional for future use.
Hospitals have also been directed to redistribute surplus equipment to other state and central hospitals in Delhi, while reaching out to other states that might require such resources. Hospitals must prioritise using existing stock before purchasing new equipment to prevent unnecessary expenditure.