Lok Sabha: Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari Flags Critical Care Crisis at GMCH‑32

New Delhi/Chandigarh, March 23, 2026: Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari has flagged serious concerns over the state of critical care facilities at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, Chandigarh, in the Lok Sabha. In his unstarred question number 4830, Tewari asked the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that whether the government had taken note of reports that a large number of ventilators supplied during the COVID-19 pandemic were lying non-functional, thereby affecting critical care services. 

Tewari sought details on the total number of ventilators supplied to GMCH and their functional status. The Chandigarh MP pressed further, raising concerns over non‑functional ventilators due to maintenance and spare parts issues, shortages of ventilators, technicians and trained staff at the Trauma Centre in GMCH‑32, as well as vacancies in nursing and paramedical staff. He inquired about the steps being taken to strengthen critical care infrastructure.

Responding to the query, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav acknowledged that the Government of India had supplied 99 ventilators to GMCH during the pandemic. “Of these, only 35 are currently functional”, he said, while maintaining that GMCH has reportedly sufficient doctors and nursing staff at its Trauma Centre. He added that all ICU equipment is covered under Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contracts (CAMC), suggesting that mechanisms for repair and upkeep are in place.   

Later on, while expressing his views on Minister’s response, Tewari said, “The scale of the problem is quite alarming with nearly two-thirds of ventilators lying idle and Minister’s reply stops short of offering a clear roadmap for restoring functionality. The assurance that maintenance contracts exist does not explain why 64 ventilators remain non-operational.”

Chandigarh MP further pointed out that the Minister’s statement that sufficient doctors and nursing staff are available at the Trauma Centre appears to contradict the concerns raised by him about shortages of trained technical staff and paramedics. “The reply does not directly address whether ventilator technicians or spare parts are in short supply,” he added. 

Tewari asserted that this clearly highlights a gap between ground-level reports of strained critical care services and the government’s official position. He opined that with ventilators forming the backbone of intensive care, the fact that only 35 out of 99 are functional raises questions about preparedness for future emergencies.  

“My intervention in this crucial matter has brought to light a pressing issue in Chandigarh’s premier government hospital – the mismatch between infrastructure supplied during the pandemic and its current usability”, Tewari said, adding that the Minister’s reply acknowledges the numbers but offers no clarity on corrective measures. Concluding his remarks, Tewari said, “For patients and families relying on GMCH’s critical care facilities, the unanswered questions remain stark that when will the non-functional ventilators be repaired and will staffing shortages be addressed in time.” 

“On an average our office receives about five requests daily for providing ventilators for patients across the hospitals in Chandigarh. 
This itself highlights the gravity of the problem. Why should people have to reach out to an MP for a critical care essentiality like a ventilator if the system was functioning and enough functional ventilators were available he underscored”