Doctor reinstated, inquiry ordered
VIVEK SHARMA
JAMMU: Unexpectedly, in a swift move, Government Medical College Hospital Jammu on Tuesday cancelled the purchase order of sub-standard and cheap drip sets and decided to procure branded ones in the wake of hue and cry after death of an inpatient.
Taking cognisance of the report appearing in STATE TIMES about ‘killer drip sets’, the Principal GMC also revoked suspension of Medicine Registrar Dr Susheel Pandita. Alleging foul, the Doctors Association had said that Dr Pandita was made a scapegoat to conceal the actual reason behind the death. They said the patient had died due to infection caused by ‘sub-standard drip set’.
The principal has also ordered inquiry to go into the exposure made by STATE TIMES.
According to sources, Health and Medical Education Minister had asked the GMC management to suspend the Medicine Registrar without even holding a preliminary inquiry which boomeranged as the Doctors Associations in Jammu and Srinagar lodged strong protests for making their colleague a ‘scapegoat’.
Sources added that there was strong nexus between some unscrupulous elements in the GMC management with drug and pharmaceutical equipment mafia, as a result of which sub-standard drip sets costing just Rs 4.7 per set found their way int he hospital despite Srinagar GMC procuring branded ones for Rs 9.5 per set.
The GMC requires a minimum of one lakh drip sets per month. The supply is being made locally by the ‘approved firm’ and the bulk consignment comes in lose packing, bundled in gunny bags, while the branded procurement in Srinagar is made in designated packs, the sources said, adding that the dispensing medicos or para medics seldom agitate over spurious drugs, allied material or inferior diagnostic machines.
