Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has ordered a comprehensive departmental inquiry into the purchase of equipment by the Health Department during the last 10 years.

“The decision for the probe was taken based on the complaints that equipment worth crores purchased for medical colleges and various hospitals have been kept without use. I also personally verified such complaints,” Health Minister K Muraleedharan said, also making a plea to avoid dragging politics into the decision.

“We have to find out why such a large number of equipment was bought when there was a financial crisis which prevented appointment of sufficient staff in hospitals and purchase of medicines. Allegations that the equipment was purchased to earn commissions also have to be confirmed,” he said, adding that the step was aimed at correcting the faulty system. 

The inquiry will cover purchases under the Plan Fund, Central schemes such as PMSY Fund and those during the COVID-19 crisis. Dumping equipment supplied by the Centre in godowns would also be under the purview of the inquiry.

The probe was ordered after the minister visited the Wayanad Medical College recently and learnt the situation there.

During the departmental inquiry, purchases in all the 14 districts would be examined. Consequently, the Finance Department will check the monetary aspects of the deals and, if malpractices are noticed, the matter will be handed over to the Vigilance, said Muraleedharan.

Medical equipment worth crores were getting damaged owing to disuse and inefficiency in various hospitals. For instance, mobile mortuaries were among equipment dumped in the godown at Wayanad Medical College. In Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, an autoclave machine was lying idle under the sun and rain in front of the Super Speciality Block.

Similarly, two oxygen concentration machines received by Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital during the COVID-19 crisis have become dysfunctional. At Peroorkada District Model Hospital, despite installing a 100-kV solar plant, it has not been connected to the power grid.

Uncertainties exist over whether many of these abandoned machines and equipment would work anymore, and the probe expects to expose the people who caused the losses to the Health Department.