Ventilators at SAT not functioning, says complaint; Human Rights Commission registers complaint

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has registered a case on the complaint that 11 ventilators are not functioning at the SAT hospital. Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas directed that the Medical Education Director should urgently conduct a probe regarding the complaint. The case was taken up suo motu by the Commission based on a newspaper report about the non-functional ventilators.

The Commission has instructed that a senior official not below the rank of Deputy Director of Medical Education be appointed to lead the investigation. It also directed that the functionality of ventilators in the Pediatric Surgery and Neonatology departments be checked separately. If the ventilators are not working, the faults must be repaired immediately, and if they need replacement, steps should be taken to procure new ones.

The investigation report must be submitted within one month. The Superintendent of SAT Hospital must also submit a separate report within the same period. Justice Alexander Thomas has further directed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a report within one month. The report should include details of any action taken to purchase new ventilators, if required.

The Deputy Director of Medical Education, a representative of the SAT Hospital Superintendent, and the Under Secretary of the Health Department have been asked to appear in person before the commission during its December sitting.