SHILLONG, May 8 - Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the Meghalaya High Court has today directed doctors and administrators at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) to resume services at the Cardiology department immediately.
Tynsong said to the media after holding a meeting with the doctors of the Cardiology department that work should not suffer at the Cardiology department of NEIGRIHMS at any cost.
From April 30 last, work has come to a standstill in the department after the Institute Director Dr DM Thapa accused the head of the department, Dr Animesh Mishra of carrying out �illegal business� of stents and pacemakers at the Institute, in connivance with private vendors, which was busted by the authorities.
The doctors on their part have claimed there are no stents and pacemakers at the Amrit Pharmacy so patients have been procuring the items from private vendors.
�As of now the services should begin and then we would see what needs to be done about the allegations. If the stents and pacemakers are not available at the Amrit Pharmacy, then these can be purchased from the private vendors but prices should be in accordance to the National Pharmacy Pricing Authority,� the Deputy CM said.
However, in the meeting with doctors, which also included Health Minister AL Hek, the Director of the Institute was not present. �Let the services begin for now� If need be there can be a CBI inquiry (on the allegations of the Director),� Tynsong said when asked why the institute Director�s opinion was not taken on the issue by having him in the meeting.
Meanwhile, Dr Mishra, after emerging from the meeting, said the stents and pacemakers which are available at the Amrit Pharmacy are �inadequate� and raised questions on its quality.
He claimed that apart from stents and pacemakers there are several items required for carrying out a surgery on a heart patient which are not available at the hospital. �I am open to any inquiry,� he said when asked about the allegations leveled against him.
Meanwhile, the High Court asked the Director and the doctors to be present at the court today following a petition filed on disruption of services at the Cardiology department.
After the proceedings of the Court, the meeting was held at the Secretariat. However, the order of the High Court is not available till the filing of this report.
