Heart surgery crisis: Government seeks alternative solution

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has found an alternative way to ensure smooth continuance of heart surgeries in government hospitals, which are in crisis after companies stopped supplying equipments including stents. The move is to purchase equipment from the in-house drug bank of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College and provide it to medical colleges. A similar method was tried when such a crisis occurred earlier.

However, the equipment can be obtained from the drug bank only if payment is made in advance. Therefore, this is not practical in the long run. Since the equipment is in stock for a week, such an arrangement will be made only after Onam.

Meanwhile, the government's release of a portion of the dues to be paid to hospitals that provided treatment through the Karunya scheme yesterday will also be a slight relief. 124.63 crores was allocated. The hospitals are moving to pay at least a little of the dues to the distribution companies from this amount.

158 crores is owed to companies that provide materials required for angioplasty, including stents, guide wires, guide catheters, and PTCA balloons. This is 18 months' worth of arrears for 21 hospitals.