SHILLONG: Former NEIGRIHMS director Dr DM Thappa has claimed that the CBI, which was investigating the implant scam and assets created by HOD Cardiology, Dr Animesh Mishra, has sought the approval of Union Ministry of Health and Welfare.
In a statement issued to the media on Sunday, Thappa said the probe was based on the reports emanating from NEIGRIHMS and Meghalaya High Court case for disruption of cath lab surgeries in May first week last year following the seizure of Rs 32 lakh stents, pacemakers and other surgical implants from Sanjo Pharmacy and the subsequent CBI scrutiny in cardiology, orthopaedics and radiology as part of all India anti-corruption drive.
According to Thappa, Sanjo is a private pharmacy run by the wife of a technician, Joshua Kharbuli, who is with the radio diagnosis department.
The ex-director alleged that Mishra had asked Sanjo pharmacy to visit cath lab in cardiology department on a daily basis to supply stents, pacemakers and implants at higher prices to run a private syndicate to derive benefits and create assets out of proportion of his income.
“This syndicate had been working for last 10-12 years as per the statements of DM cardiology students available on YouTube videos uploaded. His other two colleagues were equal partners in this implant scam in NEIGRIHMS. All three of them belong to Varanasi. This is why Dr Mishra is so powerful”, he alleged.
The statement said AMRIT pharmacy was bypassed which is supposed to supply these items at subsidised rates to hospital patients.
“Despite bringing this to the notice of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from 2017 to 2020, the director was asked to have a cordial relationship with Dr Animesh Mishra.
When matter surfaced in media, the faculty members close to Mishra from NEIGRIHMS Faculty Association, charged the director of tarnishing the image of the institute”, Thappa said.
According to the statement, earlier, the institute-run pharmacy was closed in 2016-17 to open private vendor “Life Care Pharmacy” in the institute premises with the help of Deputy Director Administration (DDA) against the advice of the Director in-charge Dr P. Bhattacharya.
“Now AMRIT pharmacy is being targeted and closed with the help of private pharmacy lobby and DDA. The nexus between various parties is deep to be scrutinised by the CBI”, he alleged.
After the seizure of stents, pacemakers and implants of Sanjo pharmacy in April last year, the cardiology department started utilising the stents and other accessories from AMRIT pharmacy with the intervention of Meghalaya High Court, but pacemakers were continued to be procured from private parties outside NEIGRIHMS authorised pharmacies, Thappa said.
According to the former director, cath lab was established with Rs 10 crore with annual maintenance of Rs 25-26 lakh.
“There is another cath lab which is mobile not being used and even when fixed, the cath lab goes out of order. These assets were created for the benefits of the public but the people are paying the price for stents which is higher than even corporate sector.