KANNUR: In the past two years, insurance companies owe Rs. 160 crores to the medical colleges in the state as part of a concise insurance plan. This is the details of the last two years. This has halted the supply of lifesaver medicines.

There is no fund in hospitals to buy heart valves, stent, etc. Thalassery Malabar Cancer Centre uses its own funds to buy necessary medicines and other equipment.

More funds need to come through Rashtreeya Swasthya Bheema Yojana, the insurance plan for common man. There are dues in government projects like Karunyam, Sukrutham, and Hrudyam. Swasthya Bheema Yojana was started in 2008. Reliance is the insurer for this project. The company claims that Rs 2100 crores have been transferred in the last 11 years in the project with 36 lakh members.