THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) is set to resume surgeries that were postponed due to a shortage of implant devices, following a new agreement with HLL Lifecare.
Under the deal, Amrit Pharma – a division of HLL – will supply the necessary devices to the institute. “To address the immediate requirements, SCTIMST has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Amrit Pharma. The hospital will now procure essential supplies through them to ensure smooth and uninterrupted operations,” said Dr Kavita Raja, medical superintendent of the institute.
However, the hospital has not yet announced when the delayed procedures will be rescheduled. The current arrangement with HLL is viewed as a temporary measure, while the hospital works on streamlining its procurement process.
Earlier this week, the Department of Imaging Sciences and Interventional Radiology (IS & IR) at SCTIMST had suspended all peripheral and neuro-interventional procedures due to a critical shortage of devices. The disruption affected patients from across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and other regions referred to the hospital.
The delay in procurement was further aggravated by a Union government directive mandating purchases through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.
Though intended to improve transparency, doctors have criticised the policy for slowing down the supply chain and impacting patient care. As some of the surgeries were suspended, the Union Minister Suresh Gopi called an emergency meeting to arrange the materials through HLL Lifecare. Youth wing of Congress and CPM staged protests against the apathy of the authorities of the premier institute.
Temporary measure
Under the deal, Amrit Pharma – a division of HLL – will supply the necessary devices to the institute
Current arrangement with HLL is viewed as a temporary measure, while the hospital works on streamlining its procurement process