Jammu, Feb. 19 -- At least 219 ventilators are defunct in 10 government medical colleges and Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences across Jammu and Kashmir, a region which was ranked among the top four states/UTs in India for high prevalence rates of respiratory disease.

In a written reply to a starred question raised by MLA Shamim Firdous in the legislative assembly, health and medical education minister Sakina Itoo shared hospital-wise data of functional and defunct ventilators in government medical colleges (GMCs), associated hospitals and other major health institutions, including SKIMS.

"Out of a total of 877 ventilators, 658 are functional while 219 are defunct," stated the official data.

According to the data, GMC Jammu a...