Hindustan Times (Jalandhar)

Rajindra hospital starts probe, to float new tenders

PATIALA: Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, has initiated an official inquiry into the alleged anomaly in the procuremen­t of medical implants under the Centre’s flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Sehat Bima Yojana.

The hospital authoritie­s have formed a three-member expert committee to probe why medical implants were being purchased at “inflated” rates. The action comes on a report published in Hindustan Times on August 22, “No uniform tendering process costing state exchequer dear”, which highlighte­d how the Rajindra hospital was purchasing total knee replacemen­t implants at ₹57,750, whereas Government Mata Kaushalya Hospital procured the same from the same vendor for ₹44,100, a price difference of ₹13,650.

The authoritie­s have also started the process of floating fresh tenders for the procuremen­t of total knee replacemen­t implants. The disparity in the amount, a health official pleading anonymity said, was due to hospitals floating individual tenders.

As there is no uniform contract policy in place for all the government hospitals in the state, the cost of medical implants varies widely across different institutio­ns. Sans standardis­ation, it is very likely that there might be potential nexus between government doctors and private vendors resulting in the supply of substandar­d implants and that too at inflated rates, said an official requesting anonymity.

A senior doctor at Rajindra hospital said private vendors often supply low-quality implants. “This is evident from the fact that some patients who underwent total knee replacemen­t surgeries at Rajindra hospital have reported infections and other complicati­ons within a year of operation even as these implants have a lifespan of nearly 20 years,” the doctor said.

Rajindra hospital medical superinten­dent Dr Girish Sahni confirmed that an inquiry has been marked. “We have already initiated an inquiry into the matter and have instructed the three-member committee to submit report at the earliest. Based on the committee’s findings, appropriat­e action will be taken,” he said.

The hospital has also started the process of floating fresh tenders for the procuremen­t of total knee replacemen­t implants, Dr Sahni added.