SHILLONG: The functioning of the Cardiology department in the NEIGRIHMS was affected on Wednesday as the Hospital did not have stents, pacemakers and other equipment to carry out surgeries and operations.
There was a crisis like situation in the institute since 12 patients were to undergo surgery which could not be done since the Hospital did not had stents, pacemakers and other equipment.
Dr Synrang Batngen Warjri, a doctor from the Cardiology department said that the pharmacy of the institute did not have these equipment and when vendors from outside brought the equipment for the surgery, the same was confiscated.
“ If there is any heart-attack in Shillong tonight, don’t bring him to NEIGRIHMS as we cannot do anything without the equipment,” he said.
Another doctor who conducts the surgery said the situation was grim in the institute and asserted that out of 12 patients, one was an emergency case and 11 were regular and the patients suffered after their surgery was not conducted.
“ The patients are here since many days and today when the day for their surgery came, we could not do anything,” the doctor said while adding that the administration of the institute should take the responsibility if anything happens to them.
The doctors of the Cardiology department also had two rounds of meeting with the administration but it remained inconclusive and the doctors are now even thinking of resigning en-masse if the issue is not resolved at the earliest.
Meanwhile, according to a clarification from the institute, the HoD Cardiology has not been co-operating with the administration with regard to make treatment of poor patients affordable as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India regulations.
The statement said that there are two complaints from PMO Office to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare forwarded to NEIGRIHMS, some time before regarding high price Cardiology patients have to pay to get treatment in NEIGRIHMS due to high cost of stents, which the patients purchase from some local vendors.
According to statement, a committee was formed by Director, NEIGRIHMS to get the requirements from various departments so that the stents/pacemakers costly drugs and disposabled could be made available through revolving fund or Amrit pharmacy.
“But due to lack of co-operation by the HoD Cardiology, the list could not be finalized, “ the statement said, adding recently, an advisory by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, was displayed in OPD to inform patients to get the costly items from Amrit pharmacy rather than from outside vendors at a higher cost.
The statement added that Amrit pharmacy had assured to make the costly items available to patients within 48 hours, if not available in the store and Joint Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Gayatri Mishra recently forwarded a letter from a Parliamentary Committee where in it was pointed out that in Autonomous institutions, patients buy costly items from private vendors paying a high price and if administration of these autonomous institutions is unable to curtail the price, then the Administration is a part of the illegal practice.
Administration of NEIGRIHMS has been for past two years seeking co-operation from HoD Cardiology to solve the problem of patients by forwarding the precise and up to date requirements to the Administration/ the Committee, but unfortunately the department preferred to make patients purchase costly stents and pacemakers from a vendor (Sanjo Medical) from outside the hospital at a very high cost. The vendor in connivance of the HoD Cardiology used to get stents in the morning to the Cath Lab and sell to the patients on the advice of the cardiologists on the day of the procedure at a very high cost, despite the capping of rates by the Ministry,” the statement alleged.
The statement also stated that the Director NEIGRIHMS, during his hospital round on 30.04.2019 at 9.30 am, found the vendor carrying four bags full of stents/pacemakers heading towards Cath Lab and when intercepted by the security and brought in the notice of Director, the matter was referred to Chief Security Officer and Chief Vigilance Officers, NEIGRIHMS, who took serious cognizance of illegal trade in the Hospital and cheating of the poor patients by the Vendor with the help of HOD cardiology, and seized the supplies after the procedure was over(in the interest of patients), despite of a noisy scene created by the HOD cardiology.
It also alleged that HoD Cardiology Dr. Animesh Mishra feeling himself trapped tried to exploit the patient care services by denying treatment to the poor patients since yesterday and is inciting the patients against administration of the institution.
The statement further added that the Director has warned the HoD Cardiology that he shall be personally responsible for any causality in the department as he is preventing other doctors and paramedics to perform their legitimate duties.