‘Will stop supply of surgical equipment to govt hosps: Association

Thiruvananthapuram: All Kerala Scientific and Surgical Dealers Association (AKSSDA) has warned that they will stop the supply of surgical equipment, including stents, to government medical college hospitals if pending arrears from 2016 are not settled soon. The association has claimed that they have to get Rs 286 crore from the government.
The association, which has a majority of the surgical equipment dealers as its members, has threatened to stop the supply of surgical equipment, including reagents which are used to test blood, to almost all government hospitals in the state too. This would cause a serious crisis in the state health sector.
“We have been struggling with lack of pay for the past three years, but continued the supply out of humane consideration. However, we also need to sustain ourselves and so unless some relief is provided by July 15, we may be forced to stop the supply. Not only will such a stoppage affect patients from economically poor families who depend on medical aid from the government hospitals at affordable prices, it will also conversely help private hospitals exploit the situation. It is not our intention to disrupt the smooth flow of surgeries, but our situation is so bad that we have no other choice,” said state patron of AKSSDA Paul M I.
According to Paul, the pending arrear is estimated at around Rs 200 crore with government agencies like Karunya, KMSCL, HLL, SIDCO and KHRWS being the top defaulters.