Full transparency adopted in purchase of ventilators but probe ordered- State government

Shimla, Jun 2

Himachal Pradesh Government today ordered an high level  interdepartmental probe over purchase of 10 ventilators by the state health services to find out whether transparency being adopted in the deal.

A press release issued by the Additional Chief Secretary Health and Nodal Officer Covid-19 R D Dhiman said that a high level Committee led by the Director Industry and Controler Store including Director Health Medical Education, Principal IGMC and Deputy Controller Finance and Account Health Education Directorate would be its member .

The high level interdepartmental committee has been asked to submit the probe report within ten day notice from today to the Government about the said deal.

Press release said that initially no anomalies appeared in the said deal of purchase of Ventilators on the level of Directorate Health Services however probe is necessary in the interest of transparency.

The Government clarified that order was placed to purchase ten Ventilators by the department when it was considered very essential to acquire the equipment and seven ventilators have been already been handed over by the department on April 15 ,2020  and have been deployed in health institutions with immediate effect.

Dhiman said that Health Director in his report submitted about the said deal stated that Haryana Medical Supplies Corporation also purchase same ventilator on April 16 and the cost of each unit was found Rs 10.29 lakh, almost equal to the cost rendered by the state to acquiring the ventilators a day ahead .

More over the rate of Ventilator on the GeM Portal still indicates it around Rs 10.30 lakh per unit which comprising of main appliance, Medical Air processor, Basic Accessories, Adult, Pediatric or Neonatal Application Accessories , Optional Accessories, ETCO2 Application Accessories , SPO2 application accessories , Humidifier and warranty of five years.

Director Health Services clarified that decisions of purchase of ventilators were taken  when the entire country and  this state was dealing with major threat of Corona Virus. 

He said decisions to acquire the equipment  was taken at the time when Union Government and various state Governments were busy in strengthening their health services by increasing capabilities of life saving medical equipment and process of acquiring the ventilators started by the department to install them in state health institution to treat the Covid-19 critical patient in the state.

A committee was constituted by the department under chairmanship of Deputy Director Health Service on Mar 28, 2020 to finalise the required standard of ventilator on the recommendation of this committee was decided to buy the ICU ventilators.

A purchase committee headed by the joint Director Health Services started the process of procurement of recommended ventilators according to the the guidelines issued by the union Government for supply of such medical equipment. The Purchase committee after studying the standard of ventilator found on the GeM portal on Mar 29 ,2020 it cost to the tune of Rs 9.9 lakh per unit     .

Dhiman said before finalising the deal the purchase committee also study similar procurement made by the Orissa Medical Supplies Corporation to purchase 20 ventilators as it cost them around Rs 1.83 Crore excluding the GST.

The Departmental  Purchase Committee according the demand of time decided to buy ten ventilators after verifying various aspects like price and technical modalities of the desired equipment.

Department has initiated the probe on the basis that a complaint appeared in the media report about the anomalies in the ventilators purchase . Entire record was recalled by the Government in the matter after the complaint, he added.