NEIGRIHMS director says he is a victim of clandestine business

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 17, 2019

SHILLONG: The Director of the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) Dr DM Thapa on Thursday claimed of becoming a victim of “clandestine business”. 

“Director became a victim of expose. On record, no previous Director was allowed to work for his full tenure by the same lobby,” Dr Thapa said in a statement. 

He also alleged the 13^th Governing Council meeting held at Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi on October 14, was misled by a “secretive note” by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. 

Dr Thapa said he was kept in the dark regarding proceedings in the meeting regarding the agenda on “ratification of his appointment as Director NEIGRIHMS with effect from April 15, 2017”. 

He further alleged that the seizure of cardiology consignment of stents, pacemakers and consumables to the tune of Rs 30 lakhs approximately on April 30, is tip of the iceberg of business syndicate of Dr Animesh Mishra, Professor and Head of Cardiology NEIGRIHMS and Sanjo Medical, a pharmacy just outside NEIGRIHMS. 

“Dr Mishra runs this multi crore business, bribes politician, media and is in loggerhead with administration of NEIGRIHMS who wanted to enforce Ministry of Health and Welfare advisory regarding procurement of cardiology related items from AMRIT pharmacy, a Government of India initiative which provides items at subsidized rates to the poor and needy patients,” he said.

Dr Thapa said to impress upon his (Dr Mishra) own agenda, cardiology department suspended the work on May 1 and 2. The services were compromised on those days and patients were made to suffer. In spite of items available in the AMRIT pharmacy from May 3, did not resume Cath Lab services and goes on creating list of cases to be taken up for cardiac surgeries in Cath Lab. 

Following seizure of cardiology items from Sanjo Medical meant for Cath Lab in Cardiology department of NEIGRIHMS, he said two FIRs have been lodged against Director NEIGRIHMS by the proprietor of Sanjo Medical with Meghalaya State Women Commission and Rinjah Police station with the help of Dr Animesh Mishra, a business partner in the cardiology items usage of stents, pacemakers and implants. 

“Sanjo Medical owner and her assistants visit and sit inside Cath lab on regular basis to promote her business. She is assisted by two of his assistants in delivery of items inside NEIGRIHMS cardiology Cath lab,” he said. 

The director said in the complaint filed, she explains that she had been supplying the cardiology items inside NEIGRIHMS on regular basis for last two years. She alleged misbehavior of Director at her shop on February 4, in the morning hours and the Director also demanded commission, a frivolous and baseless complaint. 

He said as Dr Mishra has very close contacts with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, NIRMAN BHAWAN, New Delhi officials, he happened to get my tour details in the letter dated February 1, passed on the same information to the Sanjo Medical proprietor. 

“To my utter surprise, Meghalaya State Women Commission admitted a fresh plea from Sanjo Medical dated May 9, to revise the date of assault/misbehavior to February 1, the date of application to the Ministry. With current syndicate of Dr Mishra and Sanjo Medical working together, it is unlikely that they will allow NEIGRIHMS to establish the AMRIT pharmacy as a source of supply of cardiology stents, devices and implants in the long run. When business concerns are supreme, this puts a question mark on the ethical aspects of the cardiac procedures carried out in NEIGRIHMS. Is Hippocratic Oath is going for the toss and cardiology head continues to be headache for the administration instigating protests and strikes through his students or under the banner of NRDA (NEIGRIHMS Resident Doctor Association),” he added. 

Dr Thapa said for last two years, there has been correspondence between head of cardiology and administration to put in place a mechanism by which poor patients either get cardiology stents, pacemakers and implants either through AMRIT pharmacy or hospital revolving fund at subsidized rates. 

“Cardiology head prepared a voluminous inventory running into 1000 items of more than 100 pages which an institute cannot implement. When asked to prioritize and put up essential item list and participate in the committee meetings do not allow anyone to represent his department. So the stalemate continues and his business with Sanjo Medical continues to flourish,” he said.

He further reminded that after the Meghalaya High Court’s intervention, cardiology head has been instructed to put his all requirements with AMRIT pharmacy.

“The representatives of AMRIT pharmacy were ready to extend full support, but then he (Dr Mishra) is putting up some unrealistic demands just to frustrate AMRIT pharmacy officials, seeking permission from administration for allowing private vendors to establish on site inventory in Cath lab of cardiology department,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the director asserted that unless Ministry of Health and Family Welfare take note of the happenings in the NEIGRIHMS and the person behind it, NEIGRIHMS will continue to suffer and as result the people of North East.