SHILLONG: The functioning of the cardiology department in NEIGRIHMS came to a standstill on Wednesday as stents and pacemakers were not available to carry out surgeries while the authorities blamed the head of the cardiology department for the state of affairs.
Dr Synrang Batngen Warjri, a doctor from the department, said the pharmacy of the institute do not have the devices and when vendors from outside bring these, they are confiscated.
“If there is any heart attack in Shillong tonight, do not bring the patient to NEIGRIHMS as nothing can be done without the devices,” he said.
Another doctor said that out of the 12 patients, who needed surgery, one was an emergency case and 11 were regular. “The patients were here for so many days and 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 responsibility if anything happens to them.
The doctors of the cardiology department also had two rounds of meetings with the administration but these remained inconclusive and they are now even thinking of resigning en-masse if the issue is not resolved at the earliest.
HoD cardiology blamed
Meanwhile, a clarification from the institute stated that the head of cardiology department has not been co-operating with the administration with regard to making treatment of poor patients affordable as per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regulations.
The statement said that there are two complaints from the PMO to the ministry forwarded to NEIGRIHMS, regarding the high price cardiology patients have to pay for treatment in the institute.
According to the statement, a committee was formed by Director, NEIGRIHMS to get the requirements of various departments so that these could be made available through the revolving fund or Amrit pharmacy.
“But due to lack of cooperation by the HoD cardiology, the list could not be finalised, “ the statement said, adding recently an advisory from the ministry was displayed in the OPD section 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 has assured to make the costly items available to patients within 48 hours, if not available in the store. It said the Joint Secretary in the ministry, Gayatri Mishra, recently forwarded a letter from a Parliamentary Committee wherein it was pointed out that in autonomous institutions, patients buy costly items from private vendors by paying a high price and if the administration of these autonomous institutions is unable to curtail the price, then it is part of the illegal practice.
“The administration of NEIGRIHMS has for the past two years has been seeking cooperation from HoD cardiology to solve the problem, but unfortunately the department prefers 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 with 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 said.
The statement also added that the Director NEIGRIHMS, during his rounds of the hospital on April 30 found the vendor carrying four bags full of stents/pacemakers and heading towards the cath lab. On being intercepted by the security and brought to the notice of the Director, the matter was referred to Chief Security Officer and Chief Vigilance Officer, NEIGRIHMS, who took serious note of the illegal practice.
It was also alleged that the HoD cardiology, Dr Animesh Mishra, exploited the patient care services by denying treatment to poor patients since Tuesday and was inciting the patients against the administration.
The statement further added that the Director has warned the HoD that he will be personally responsible for any causality in the department as he is preventing other doctors and paramedics from performing their legitimate duties.
