Implant mafia continues in NEIGRIHMS: ex-Director alleges

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 28, 2020

Former Director of North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical (NEIGRIHMS) Dr DM Thappa has alleged that the implant mafia is continuing with the private pharmacies in the institute hand in glove with outside pharmacies.

He further alleged that the business of the cath lab to acquire items (stents and pacemaker) from the Sanjo pharmacy outside the institute is still continuing depsite the seizure on April 30, last year. 

“The private pharmacies in NEIGRIHMS hand in glove with outside pharmacies,” Dr Thappa said in a statement.

As per tender clauses, he said they are supposed to display on board categories of drugs/items available with them, also to ensure all items are made available for consumers to buy and need to display the discount being offered on drugs/items.

Lucky pharmacy in Public Utility Block supposed to offer 10 per cent discount.

Life care pharmacy now in Public Utility Block supposed to offer discount varying from 10 to 40 percent on various items.

Also supposed to put outside their pharmacy, complaint box as well as complaint register besides need to display to whom to complaint that is director NEIGRIHMS Shillong

He however said that most of the time, Lifecare pharmacy doesn’t have items/drugs with them and direct the patients to their counterparts outside.

According to him, many of the patients are charged MRP price as there is no display on boards and consumers are not aware.

“Recently, Life care pharmacy was requested by me personally (in December 2019,) to provide me stents and pacemaker. The reply was, we don’t keep as there is no demand. How they can dare to say this to director unless there is some tacit support from some source. I asked him do you have any agreement with Sanjo pharmacy (which supply stents, pacemakers, consumables related to cath lab).

The proprietor reply was that there is no demand from patients,” Dr Thappa said.

“It means, even after April 30, 2019 episode of seizure of items-stents and pacemaker worth 32 lakhs, the business of cath lab to acquire these items from Sanjo pharmacy outside NEIGRIHMS has not stopped,” he further added.

The former NEIGRIHMS Director also alleged that Amrit pharmacy was not supplying pacemakers as cardiology department has a fixed arrangements with private parties. 

“Dr Animesh Mishra (HoD of Cardiology) keeps these vendor list on phone all the time and was advising chief secretary Meghalaya in June 2019, so that Amrit pharmacy can be by passed. Hence this implant mafia is heavy inside as well outside. Life care pharmacy relative works in Store and Procurement office,” he said.

Dr Thappa also informed that Deputy director admin was directed to issue new notification for pharmacy monitoring committee consisting of director, DDA, SPO and Medical superintendent was being delayed inspite of several reminders.

“Inspite of instruction to display boards, compliance from pharmacy was not visible untill I departed. Dr. Mishra regularly visits DDA office, sits for hours together and has direct link as well as directives from MOHWF to DDA to execute the things as per his plan,” he said.

It may be mentioned here that the Centre had last year instituted an inquiry into the alleged multi-crore implant scam between the Cardiology department and the Sanjo pharmacy based on the complaint of Dr Thappa, who was recently removed as director of the institute. 

However, the findings of the inquiry on the matter is yet to be known till today.