Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 25: Patients at G.B. Pant Hospital are allegedly being asked to purchase essential surgical supplies from private pharmacies before undergoing procedures, raising concerns over the availability of basic medical consumables at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ principal referral hospital.
The allegations have been raised by TSG Bhasker, Chairman of the Campaign Committee of the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), in a representation to Lieutenant Governor Dr Dinesh Sharma seeking a comprehensive enquiry into the reported shortages and the management of medical supplies at the hospital.
According to the representation, patients and their families are allegedly being asked to arrange items including gloves, injections, orthopaedic implants and other surgical consumables before procedures can be carried out.
The allegations have not been independently verified and would require examination by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
Patients bear the burden
Any shortage of essential surgical supplies can have an outsized impact in the Islands, where patients from North & Middle Andaman, Nicobar and other remote areas often have to travel to Sri Vijaya Puram for specialised treatment.
Families already incur expenses on travel, accommodation and treatment. Having to purchase surgical materials from the private market could add to that burden and potentially delay procedures while the required supplies are arranged.
Bhasker has sought an examination of how essential medicines, surgical equipment and consumables are procured, stored and distributed at G.B. Pant Hospital, including supplies purchased through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
His representation has also alleged that some patients are being directed towards particular private pharmacies or suppliers to purchase medical materials. He has sought an investigation into whether such referrals are taking place and, if so, under what circumstances patients at a government hospital are being asked to procure supplies privately.
Questions have also been raised about the quality of some medical supplies.
The representation alleged that some patients who underwent hernia procedures subsequently required repeat surgeries following suspected infections. The allegation would require medical investigation before any connection can be established between the procedures, the materials used and the subsequent complications.
Bhasker has called for a department-wise inventory of essential medicines, surgical equipment and consumables, along with a review of procurement procedures, stock management and the quality of materials being supplied.
Specialist shortage flagged
The concerns raised in the representation extend beyond the immediate availability of surgical consumables.
Bhasker has called for modernisation of the operating theatre facilities at G.B. Pant Hospital, with adequate hygiene and infection-control arrangements to support surgical care.
The representation has also flagged shortages of specialist doctors in disciplines such as cardiology, neurology and nephrology, which can leave patients dependent on referrals to mainland hospitals for advanced treatment.
For critically ill or stretcher-bound patients, travelling to the mainland can be particularly difficult and expensive, with air transportation potentially adding several lakh rupees to a family’s medical expenses, according to the representation.
The availability of specialists outside Sri Vijaya Puram has also been questioned. Bhasker has specifically sought adequate availability of qualified gynaecologists at Community Health Centres and district hospitals in North & Middle Andaman and Nicobar districts.
The representation claimed that inadequate specialist availability at these facilities can result in high-risk maternity cases being referred to G.B. Pant Hospital at a late stage, adding to the risks and difficulties faced by patients travelling from distant islands.
Bhasker has urged the Lieutenant Governor to order a comprehensive enquiry into the reported shortages, review procurement and distribution of medical supplies, strengthen specialist services across the Islands and expedite improvements in hospital infrastructure.
“No patient should lose his or her life because of the non-availability of doctors, essential surgical equipment or basic medical supplies. The Administration must act immediately to ensure that every patient receives timely and proper medical care,” Bhasker said
