Amritsar DC orders inquiry into purchase of PPE kits for hospital
Doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff refused to use them, alleging that they were substandard and did not even include N-95 masks.
Deputy commissioner Shiv Dular Singh Dhillon has ordered an inquiry into the purchase of 2,000 Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Amritsar, after doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff refused to use these, alleging that these were substandard and did not even include N-95 masks.
They have also accused the authorities at the hospital, run under the name of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, of paying over Rs 41 lakh for the kits, claiming that the consignment should not have cost more than Rs 7 lakh. The kits were handed over to them a couple of days ago.
Local MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, who had given Rs 1 crore from his Member Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MLADS), part of which was used in the purchase had also written a letter to the Amritsar DC seeking an inquiry on Friday. “As medical professionals are facing issues with PPE kits and masks purchased from MPLAD funds, I request the administration to immediately mark an inquiry and audit into the purchase of the kits,” Aujla said.
Dr Shiv Charan Singh, head of medicine department at GMCH, said, “The PPE kits ripped apart, when the staff tried to wear them. The poor quality kits will not offer any protection and the staff will remain at risk even after wearing these. We have six covid-19 patients in our isolation ward. I wrote to the principal, seeking an inquiry into the purchase.”
“The kits were incomplete and did not even have N-95 masks. Even the nurses have refused to wear thes. Such poor quality kits are of no use to us and should not have cost more than Rs 7 lakh,” claimed Narinder Singh, lab attendant in GMC Amritsar.
GMCH principal Dr Sujata Sharma said, “Authorities at the GNDH, mainly the medical superintendent Dr Raman Sharma purchased the kits.” Dr Sharma did not respond to repeated calls on his mobile number.
The DC added, “The allegations made by the staff may or may not be true but we cannot risk their lives, amid the covid-19 outbreak. I have ordered an inquiry into the purchase of the PPE kits and the funds used for it. Additional deputy commissioner (development) Dr Pallavi will head the inquiry and submit a report soon.”