New Delhi: Chairing a high-level meeting to review India’s COVID Situations, PM Modi ordered an immediate audit of installation and operation of ventilators – provided by the central government to states. Taking cognizance of the report by the Health Ministry that stated the ventilators supplied by the centre financed from the PMCARES Fund to a state-run hospital in Faridkot, Punjab were found lying unused because of technical glitches.  

“The Prime Minister took severe word of some stories about ventilators mendacity unutilized in storage in some states and directed that a right away audit of set up and operation of ventilators supplied by the central authorities must be carried out. The Prime Minister added that refresher coaching for correctly working ventilators must be supplied to healthcare staff if essential,” an official assertion stated.

Referring to media criticism on the status of the COVID relief in Maharashtra, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday tweeted, “It’s appalling how even relief measures are bearing the brunt of an infodemic being fuelled by vested interests using baseless reports & incomplete facts.”

Additionally, PM Modi considered localised containment methods as the need of the hour. He directed nimble screening of the suspected patients. A distribution plan in rural areas is dictated to augment door to door testing and surveillance along with surveillance of adequate oxygen distribution.