Kerala orders probe into missing iPhones and unused medical equipment

The Kerala government has ordered a Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) investigation into alleged irregularities regarding medical equipment procurement. Health Minister K. Muraleedharan informed the Assembly that 224 iPhones, purchased for ₹7.16 crore to be used with fundus cameras, are lying unused in several hospitals, with reports that many of the devices are missing.

The probe will also examine other costly equipment that remains non-functional or unused. This includes 128 ventilators supplied under the PM CARES scheme that are currently sitting idle at medical colleges in Kottayam, Manjeri, Kannur, and Kozhikode. Additionally, two oxygen generator plants at Alappuzha Medical College have failed to reach the required volume and pressure levels.

A special team led by the Principal Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department has been tasked with assessing equipment quality, the necessity of the purchases, and the reasons for installation failures and prolonged non-use. While much of the equipment was procured during the COVID-19 pandemic, the inquiry will cover purchases made during other periods as well.