JAIPUR: With reports alleging that sub-standard Chinese medical equipment may have been behind the baby deaths at Kota’s JK Lon Hospital, the Rajasthan government has ordered an inquiry into their purchase. The hospital has seen over 110 infant deaths since December.
Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Wednesday alleged that China-made medical equipment were being used at the hospital. “We have ordered an inquiry into the purchase of Chinese equipment.”
“I have directed Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Rohit Kumar Singh to investigate and find out who was behind the purchase of such equipment. We need to find out who bought the poor-quality multipara monitors from Shanghai, putting the lives of infants at risk,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting with health officials in Jaipur on Wednesday.
With the Congress government under fire from the Opposition over the baby deaths, the minister had earlier directed officials in his department to take stock of medical equipment being used at the Kota hospital. It was found that most of the equipment were of Chinese-make, which did not meet the quality standards.
One particular equipment, which has come into focus post the infant deaths, is the multipara monitor, which is used for measuring vital parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate and the respiratory rate.