Lahore, Feb. 1 -- At least 431 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ventilators in public hospitals across Punjab are non-operational, putting critically ill patients in danger, according to a report by The Express Tribune (TET).

Official government data shows that shortages of ventilators and malfunctioning equipment remain a serious problem in both tertiary and district hospitals. Patients suffering from major trauma, strokes, accidents, respiratory failure and other complex medical conditions frequently need immediate ventilator assistance. The lack of working machines leads to avoidable fatalities and delays in treatment, as cited by the TET report.

Health department records indicate that only 1,709 ventilators are presently functional across ...