HC takes cognisance of cardiac procedures’ shutdown at Jammu Super Speciality Hospital; inquiry ordered

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh took serious note of reports regarding the shutdown of cardiac procedures at the Government Super Speciality Hospital (GSSH) in Jammu owing to the suspension of life-saving medical supplies over unpaid dues to vendors and, terming it a “highly sensitive matter”, initiated suo motu proceedings.
The Jammu and Kashmir Health Department on Tuesday began a detailed inquiry to ascertain the reasons for the incident, fix responsibility and take remedial measures to prevent any recurrence. The department also directed the drug controller to shut down the medical shops of the defaulting suppliers for violating various rules.
“Ex facie, the matter is highly sensitive. Thus, we are impelled to take suo motu cognisance of the prevailing conditions,” Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal observed in an order.
The court directed the Registrar (Judicial) to register and number a petition titled “Court on its own motion versus Nemo” in public interest and place it before the same Bench during the course of the day.
As prayed by the Amicus, S S Ahmed, the proceedings were deferred to December 29, the court said.
Referring to a news report, the court noted that cardiac services at GSSH had come to a grinding halt as authorised suppliers of emergency cardiac devices, including stents, pacemakers, balloons and Cath Lab consumables, suspended supplies due to unpaid dues amounting to nearly Rs 30 crore under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).
“As a result, the hospital’s Cath Lab operations have been completely paralysed. Ordinarily, GSSH performs around 25 cardiac procedures daily, but owing to the current impasse, not a single heart-related intervention could be carried out throughout the day, placing vulnerable cardiac patients at serious risk,” the court observed.
The development occurred during the hearing of four long-pending public interest litigations (PILs) seeking directions for strengthening medical infrastructure in the capital cities and for regulating private nursing homes and health centres in accordance with national guidelines.
The Bench noted that the issues involved were multifaceted and had remained unresolved for over a decade despite the filing of 15 status and compliance reports by the authorities.
Ahmed submitted that he had examined all petitions and orders passed in the matters and sought time to collate the material and submit a structured affidavit identifying the issues requiring adjudication. Notices were issued to the concerned government departments and officers.
Jammu and Kashmir health department has also initiated a detailed enquiry into the alleged cessation of supply of cardiac devices and stents by four private suppliers, threatening the lives of many patients, officials said.
Taking stern action over the alleged disruption in supply, an inquiry has been ordered to ascertain its reasons, fix responsibility, and take remedial measures to prevent recurrence, they said.
The department has also ordered closure of medical shops linked to the four suppliers through the drug controller for violating various rules.
The suppliers of healthcare equipment to the Super Speciality Hospital, Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu highlighted the need for timely release of payments amounting to around Rs 30 crore pending with the health department, following which supplies to the hospital were stopped.
Taking serious view of the situation, the health department arranged supplies from alternative sources, and services have been restored, officials said.
Simultaneously, stringent action has been initiated against the four vendors by shutting down their medical shops, they added.
The department has written to the police along with corroborating CCTV footage, for registering an FIR over alleged theft of cardiac stents by the vendors.
Officials expressed dismay over the step taken by the vendors in the wake of delayed payments, putting the lives of patients at risk.
“It amounts to murder. There should have been some responsibility. Payments may get delayed at times, but one cannot push patients into the mouth of death by such a harsh step,” an official said.
Four suppliers associated with Amrit Pharmacy had stopped the supply of cardiac devices and stents to the cardiology department of the Super Speciality Hospital, Jammu, contending that their payments had been delayed for the past few months, due to which they were unable to continue supplies, officials said.
“Despite repeated assurances that payments will be released very shortly, they have refused to restore supplies. This act of a criminal nature by the suppliers amounts to endangering the lives of the common masses of Jammu,” the officer asserted.
The healthcare suppliers serving the Super Speciality Hospital, GMC Jammu, highlighted the pressing need for the timely release of pending payments of around Rs 30 crore under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
Due to these unpaid dues from Amrit Pharmacy and the State Health Agency, distributors are no longer receiving fresh supplies from their parent companies, the vendors said.
Because of the non-availability of stocks, they had no choice but to pause deliveries to the Super Speciality Hospital starting Monday, they said, expressing hope that the situation would be resolved quickly.