Fact Check: Indian Express claims ventilators provided by Govt to Delhi?s LNJP Hospital don’t have BiPAP mode #FakeNewsAlert

A report published in the Indian Express claimed that the ventilators provided by the Government of India to Delhi’s LNJP Hospital don’t have the BiPAP mode. The report, dated July 1, 2020, stated that Lok Nayak Hospital, the city’s biggest Covid-only facility, has alleged that the 175 ventilators that it received from the Centre lack an important mode.

However, the newly introduced Fact Check team of the PIB found that the news was incorrect. These made in India ventilators have BiPAP mode and other such modes as have been prescribed in the technical specifications, said PIB Fact Check.

It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) through some media reports that the issue of Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) mode not being available in the ventilators supplied by Government of India has been raised.

“The “Make in India” ventilators supplied to the States and UTs, including GNCT of Delhi, by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare are meant for ICUs. The technical specifications for these COVID ventilators have been laid down by a Technical Committee of domain knowledge experts headed by the Director General Health Services (DGHS), MoHFW against which the ventilators have been procured and supplied. The ventilators procured and supplied comply with these specifications,” the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.

“Ventilator models BEL and AgVa supplied to the States/ UTs are complying with the requirements as per the specifications laid down by the Technical Committee. These cost-effective, made in India ventilators have BiPAP mode and other such modes as have been prescribed in the technical specifications. The ventilators are being supplied along with User Manuals and Feedback Forms which must be referred to for clarity,” the MoHFW added.