Pvt agency running dialysis centre at Mayo without administrative approval

Nagpur: The dialysis centre running on PPP model at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH), is into another controversy. IGMCH dean Dr Anuradha Shrikhande has revealed that the centre has been functioning without the basic administrative approval since last one year.

Sources from the college said that there had been consistent pressure from Chief Minister Office (CMO) to start the centre at the earliest without having to wait for approval. TOI's calls to one of the officers on special duty (OSDs) at the CMO met with no response.

The centre, being operated by private agency German Renal Care Pvt Ltd, has already been under scanner for its continuous negligence in handling patients.

The dean said, "The centre has been running in our premises, using our space, while we also pay for the electricity. It is being run by the agency which completely looks after its functioning as per the MOU. Lately, there has been some negligence at the centre."

The dean was referring to the incident on October 22 when about 20 BPL patients along with relative had to wait outside the centre for three hours for the staff to arrive.

Following reports regarding the plight of patients, the dean on October 23 called for an urgent meeting with the medicine department and the private agency, sources informed.

Apparently, the dean has written to Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) asking 'Why the centre shall not be closed?' especially after whatever has happened lately. The dean has recommended DMER to let the medicine department of the college take over the centre since the private agency is "unable to handle it".

The dean has also written to medical education minister Girish Mahajan to give the long-pending administrative approval.

Sources said the government did not wait for administrative approval and CMO office along with NMC took special interest to begin the centre on PPP model at the earliest.

Interestingly, the centre was set up and ready in June, 2016. But the agency had kept it idle for 5 months waiting for chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to formally inaugurate it. Finally, the then dean Dr Meenakshi Gajbhiye opened the centre with CM's consent.

Patients have been complaining about negligence ever since the centre opened. Eight patients from BPL category had written to the administration alleging that the centre was playing with patient's life. As per the complaints, the dialysis was being given for two hours instead of four hours.

A BPL patient alleged the centre was charging thrice the prescribed fees while BPL patients are supposed to get free-of-cost treatment. Also, there were complaints about the centre being closed during the time scheduled for dialysis, unavailability of equipment, centre asking patients to buy syringes and gloves, and absence of two technicians most of the time, leading to postponement of dialysis.