Delaying heart surgeries can put patients’ lives at risk. The situation in major government medical college hospitals is not due to a shortage of stents or other surgical equipment. There is no shortage of supplies and companies are ready to provide as much as needed. However, with dues of over Rs 150 crore pending, expecting suppliers to continue without payment is unreasonable. The health department should not have allowed such a crisis to arise. The association of medical equipment suppliers has stopped supplying heart surgery equipment, including to major government hospitals and medical colleges.
This decision came after the government failed to keep its promise of clearing dues. Out of a total of about Rs 158 crore, the government had assured that at least part of the amount would be paid, but nothing has been released so far. In a letter to the health department, the suppliers explained that without receiving dues, they cannot pay the manufacturers, and therefore cannot procure more stock.
Essential items for heart surgeries such as coronary stents, guide wires, guide catheters, and PTCA balloons are now out of stock. No fresh supplies can be sent to hospitals. The association says if at least Rs 100 crore (pending till March 31) is paid immediately, it can be passed on to the companies and new stock can be procured. At present, government hospitals have supplies only for about one more week. Emergency surgeries are continuing for now, but if the issue is not resolved within a week, heart surgeries will come to a halt. Health and finance ministers should intervene urgently.
Poor patients, who cannot afford private hospitals or medical insurance, depend heavily on government medical college hospitals for life-saving heart surgeries. Kozhikode Medical College alone has the highest pending dues of Rs 36 crore. For now, some equipment has been delivered there from other hospitals, including Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. While Kozhikode earlier carried out 15–20 angioplasties a day, only three are now being performed. The situation is not different in other medical colleges. Given the seriousness of the issue, the Chief Minister should also urgently intervene to resolve the crisis.