Companies halt supply of life-saving medical equipments over govt not paying dues of Rs 143 crores

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Due to non-payment of dues, the companies' strike without providing life-saving equipment required for heart patients and other surgeries in the government hospitals continues. The arrears of 19 government hospitals are Rs 143 crore. Out of this, the Palakkad General Hospital paid Rs 1.36 crore dues and the companies ended the strike there, but the strike in other places continues.

Although Kozhikode Medical College has started allocating the amount, the companies are of the position that they will not provide the goods unless they receive the dues from October 2022 till December 2023. The companies have stopped the supply from April 1.

The officials of the Chamber of Distributors for Medical Implants and Disposables demanded the dues till December in a meeting held at the minister's office last Wednesday. The government is of the position that the money will be released if the strike ends. The government might opt to get rid of them and buy materials from other companies if they don't give in.

Stock for one more week

All hospitals have a week's stock of surgical supplies. If this finishes, it will affect the patients. The supply of pacemaker, stent, balloon, valve etc. required for angioplasty has been stopped. Patients will suffer if supply of cardiology, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery equipment stops.