The Kerala government will direct the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to investigate the alleged misuse of public funds in the purchase of medical equipment that has remained unused in government hospitals, including devices bought during the Covid-19 pandemic, Health Minister K Muraleedharan told the Assembly.
The government said several devices procured for public hospitals were either substandard, not installed or left unused for prolonged periods. It has also constituted a special investigation team headed by the principal secretary of the health department to examine the quality and necessity of the equipment, failures in commissioning, reasons for prolonged non-use and the officials responsible.
The minister said the deterioration of equipment worth crores of rupees, particularly after warranties expired, was a serious concern. The government has received reports relating to institutions under the medical education department and is examining them, according to the Assembly reply to a submission by MLA Abin Varkey.
Among the cases identified are two oxygen generator plants supplied through the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited, or KMSCL, to Alappuzha Medical College. The plants were reportedly unable to produce oxygen at the required quantity and pressure and had not become fully operational.
The review also found that some ventilators supplied under the PM CARES scheme were not being used because of concerns over quality, operational reliability and maintenance costs. A total of 128 such ventilators were reported to be lying unused at medical colleges in Kottayam, Manjeri, Kannur and Kozhikode.
Similar instances involving ventilators and other equipment supplied in excess during the pandemic were identified at institutions under the health department, including facilities in Wayanad and Ernakulam. The government’s account indicates that the problem extended beyond procurement to installation, commissioning, maintenance and matching equipment with actual hospital requirements.
The minister also referred to the purchase of 224 iPhones at a cost of Rs 7.16 crore, along with fundus cameras intended to be operated using the phones. The equipment was left unused in several hospitals, while some of the phones were reportedly missing.
The government said it was assessing whether unused equipment could be redistributed to hospitals where it was needed. It also said steps were being taken to ensure timely repairs and maintenance. A biomedical equipment maintenance programme and district-level monitoring mechanisms were already in place, according to the Assembly response.
The government said its responsibility did not end with purchasing equipment and extended to ensuring installation, operation and maintenance so that the devices could be used for patient treatment. It said accountability would be fixed for lapses and further action would be taken against those responsible.
The proposed VACB investigation will examine the alleged corruption and misuse of public funds, while the health department’s special investigation team will assess procurement, commissioning and operational failures. The government also said measures would be strengthened to prevent a recurrence of wasteful expenditure.
