In U-turn, Sunny Deol against shifting of ventilators

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, May 16

Barely a week after giving the green signal, local MP Sunny Deol has started picking holes in the rationale being forwarded by the district administration to shift ventilators lying in the Civil Hospital to Ludhiana.

A week ago, DC Mohammad Ishfaq had ordered the shifting on the basis of a request put in by his Ludhiana counterpart. The DC had taken approval from Deol and Oberoi before taking the decision.

Two machines provided by actor

Two of the four machines installed at the Civil Hospital were provided by the MP from his MPLAD funds, while the other two were donated by Dubai-based businessman SPS Oberoi

In what appears to be a U-turn, Deol said, “he was left with no option except to grant permission”. In a letter to the DC, he said, “I was astonished to read your message regarding transfer of ventilators to Ludhiana on the grounds that the hospital does not have infrastructure, skilled doctors and supporting staff for treating patients. You will kindly recall that these ventilators were given on your demand under my MPLAD funds.”

The MP said he was informed by the administration that a private institution had trained staff to operate the machines following which these should not have been shifted.

To this, a doctor said, “The actor should understand that ventilators are sophisticated pieces of medical equipment and cannot be operated in an amateurish manner. It requires a professional team of four or five doctors. Such teams are available only in multi-specialty hospitals or in well-equipped civil hospitals like the one in Ludhiana.” The MP also pointed out that the necessary training could have been imparted ever since the ventilators were installed a year ago.