HC directs NEIGRIHMS to come up with long term solutions

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 8, 2019

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya High Court has directed the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) to work out a formula and ensure surgeries in the cardiology department is resumed from tomorrow.

It has also directed the state’s chief secretary PS Thangkhiew to depute an additional chief secretary to head a meeting for coming with a long term solution to ensure such situation do not arise again and submit the report on Monday next.

The order was passed by the division bench headed by the Chief Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir on Wednesday while taking serious note of the unfortunate situation which has given rise to postponement of about 34 surgeries in view of the internal differences between the cardiology department and the authorities of NEIGRIHMS.

Both the director Dr. DM Thapa and HoD cardiology Dr. Animesh Mishra were present in the Court during the hearing in compliance with the order passed yesterday.

“At this stage we are persuaded to direct both the Director as well as the Head of Department Cardiology to work out a working formula so that patient care may not suffer,” the chief justice said in his order.

“Today itself, medical superintendent shall hold a meeting with the cardiology department and immediately work out a solution so that right from tomorrow surgeries as per scheduled are being carried out,” it added.

The Court also directed holding of a meeting to be headed by an additional chief secretary in NEIGRIHMS tomorrow itself while maintaining that director and HoD cardiology should also participate besides medical superintendent, a representative from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Amrit pharmacy.

“…a long term solution to all the issues shall be worked out so that the situation as it is at present may not rise again in future,” it said while directing that whatever decision taken by the committee shall be implemented and report be submitted to the Court on May 13.

The Court has also expressed its dismay to hear that the patients in the cardiology department in view of the present difficulties are suffering and some patients have requested to refer them to some other hospitals while reminding that NEIGRIHMS, a premier institution is supposed to take care of the health sector of the state and other inhabitants of the neighbouring states.

On hearing the submissions made by the director and HoD cardiology, the Court said, “It appears that there is some trust deficit, as a result whereof important surgical materials required to be utilised in the surgeries have not been made available for varied reasons.”