PANJIM: Sample this, the Central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has purchased ICU ventilators for Rs 2.5 lakh each and the same party government in the State has purchased ICU ventilators for nearly Rs 8.15 lakh each.
The Modi government has purchased 50,000 ventilators for a budget of Rs 2000 crore, which works out to Rs 2.5 lakh each.
The cash-strapped State government, or rather the Goa Medical College (GMC) and the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), have purchased the 200 ventilators for Rs 8,15,360 each. Moreover, the same ventilators are available online for anything between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh.
The procurement of the ventilators, which were ordered in March 2020, has been quite eventful.
The Government vide Order No. 7/12/2020-I1/PHD/773 dated 31/03/2020 had accorded approval for purchase of ICU ventilators (200) from Innovative Medicare Technologies Pvt Ltd, Chandigarh costing Rs 16,30,72,000 to be debitable from the State Budget Head (State fund).
Accordingly, Goa Medical College had placed purchase orders for supply of 200 ventilators model Trilogy 202, make Philips, required for treatment of COVID-19 patients. However, the order was kept on hold since the purchase of ventilators is being done through District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Funds.
Thereafter, the Goa Medical College informed that they have received letter dated 04/06/2020 (Pg 58/C) from Innovative Medicare Technologies Pvt Ltd informing that company will supply 50 of model T 202 and 150 of model EVO-OBM, which is a high-end ventilator when compared to Trilogy 202, which is the ordered model at no extra cost and at same price.
Also the company was to supply their basic respirator support ventilators model Philip E-30-25 (especially designed for COVID-19 patients) as standby and sought the acceptance and to amend the purchase order issued in this regard.
The Head of the Department (HoD) of Anesthesiology accepted the offer of the company for supply of high-end ventilators at no extra cost against the Trilogy 202, which is the ordered model.
“The Government has approved to accord post facto approval towards the purchase of ICU Ventilators – 200 nos from Innovative Medicare Technologies Pvt Ltd, Chandigarh for an amount of Rs 16,30,72,000 inclusive of GST for COVID-19 pandemic at Goa Medical College & Hospital from District Minerals Foundation Fund, for the health emergency of COVID-19 in view of emergency in procurement. The procurement was done after obtaining administrative approvals and expenditure sanction from the Government/Finance Department without following codal formalities,” the Cabinet note says.
Similarly, the Government also approved the request of the company to supply 50 of model T 202 and 150 of model EVO-OBM, which is a high-end ventilator when compared to Trilogy 202, which is the ordered model at no extra cost and at same price.
