Fawad Chaudhry, Shibli Faraz differ over utility of Pakistani ventilators

• Fawad Chaudhry and Shibli Faraz differ over the utility of homemade ventilators.
  
• Faraz says locally produced ventilators are not useful.
  
• Chaudhry opines that the science minister has perhaps not received a presentation about the utility of ventilators.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and newly-appointed Science and Technology Minister Shibli Faraz have differed over the utility of homemade ventilators, The News reported on Wednesday.

On Monday, Faraz said ventilators have 16 functions while the locally produced ventilators have only four functions and the country also lacked other resources including oxygen to deal with any emergency situation amid surging coronavirus cases.

On the other hand, Chaudhry opined that the science minister has perhaps not received a presentation about the utility of locally manufactured ventilators.

Chaudhry, as science and technology minister, had previously claimed that Pakistan had joined the ranks of those few countries which are producing ventilators.

Ventilators: A complex machine

He had noted that a ventilator is a "complicated machine and not a lot of countries in the world have the capacity to make it".

Read more: 'Made in Pakistan': First batch of ventilators handed over to NDMA, says Fawad

Meanwhile, the newly-appointed science minister chaired a meeting regarding the efforts being made to counter the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the meeting, an update on the Pakistan Manufactured Ventilators System (PMVS) and innovative products developed with facilitation and coordination of MoST/PEC was given to the minister.

'Machines should conform to international standards'

Shibli Faraz emphasised that Pakistan-manufactured medical devices including ventilators should conform to international standards and quality.

He appreciated the efforts of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and all stakeholders.

The minister also reiterated that MoST will make all-out efforts for the timely registration of ventilators with DRAP so that these ventilators are timely available for induction in the health care system and export.