Equipment will be delivered today; Urology surgery to resume at Thiruvananthapuram MCH

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Medical College Urology Department will allow patients to be admitted from Friday. Due to a shortage of equipment, admission of non-critical patients was stopped on Wednesday. However, a meeting was held yesterday under the chairmanship of the Director of Medical Education, and steps were taken to deliver the equipment on Friday morning.

Surgery to remove kidney stones was stalled due to the lack of a flexible ureteroscope. Although the head of the department, Dr Harris, wrote a letter to the hospital development committee requesting the equipment, no action was taken. The other day, he personally visited the development committee office to inquire about the matter and expressed his dissatisfaction. It was only after this intervention that the admission of non-critical patients was stopped.

The cost of a flexible ureteroscope is Rs 60,000. It can be used to remove stones from a maximum of 12 people. Earlier, the equipment was purchased by collecting money from patients. After the controversy raised by Dr Harris, the collection was stopped.

The companies on strike delivered heart surgery equipment, including stents, exclusively to the Medical College Hospital on Thursday. In a discussion with company representatives the other day, the superintendent hinted that they would seek alternative options if the surgery were cancelled. He also assured that the money would be paid exactly as the government allows. The equipment was delivered later.