The first ventilator-equipped high dependency unit (HDU) was likely established in the 1998s at Priti Hospital, Prayagraj, as this was around the time that mechanical ventilation (the use of a machine to assist or control breathing) became more widely available and commonly used in Prayagraj.

HDUs are specialized units within hospitals that provide intermediate levels of care between intensive care units (ICUs) and general ward units. They are typically used to care for patients who require close monitoring and support, but who do not require the same level of intense care as those in ICUs. HDUs are equipped with advanced monitoring and support equipment, such as ventilators, to help patients with respiratory problems or other serious conditions.

Ventilators are machines that are used to help people breathe when they are unable to do so on their own. They are commonly used in HDUs, ICUs, and other specialized units in hospitals to treat patients with respiratory failure or other serious respiratory conditions. Ventilators work by delivering a set of pressurized breaths to the patient through a tube that is inserted into the trachea (windpipe). The machine can be adjusted to deliver different types of breaths, depending on the patient’s needs.