Latest news with #SCTIMST
New Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
SCTIMST to resume surgeries after deal with HLL
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) is set to resume surgeries that were postponed due to a shortage of implant devices, following a new agreement with HLL Lifecare. Under the deal, Amrit Pharma – a division of HLL – will supply the necessary devices to the institute. 'To address the immediate requirements, SCTIMST has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Amrit Pharma. The hospital will now procure essential supplies through them to ensure smooth and uninterrupted operations,' said Dr Kavita Raja, medical superintendent of the institute. However, the hospital has not yet announced when the delayed procedures will be rescheduled. The current arrangement with HLL is viewed as a temporary measure, while the hospital works on streamlining its procurement process. Earlier this week, the Department of Imaging Sciences and Interventional Radiology (IS & IR) at SCTIMST had suspended all peripheral and neuro-interventional procedures due to a critical shortage of devices. The disruption affected patients from across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and other regions referred to the hospital. The delay in procurement was further aggravated by a Union government directive mandating purchases through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. Though intended to improve transparency, doctors have criticised the policy for slowing down the supply chain and impacting patient care. As some of the surgeries were suspended, the Union Minister Suresh Gopi called an emergency meeting to arrange the materials through HLL Lifecare. Youth wing of Congress and CPM staged protests against the apathy of the authorities of the premier institute. Temporary measure
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Study to explore impact of indoor air pollution on heart failure patients
T'puram: Air pollution is increasingly being recognised as a serious threat to heart health, contributing to heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions. To explore whether cleaner indoor air can lead to better health outcomes for heart failure patients, the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) launched a new study. The research is part of the Indo-US collaborative agreement on environmental and occupational health and focuses on one key question: Can reducing indoor air pollution improve the health of people with heart failure? The study is being carried out at three major medical centres in India: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi; Dayanand Medical College (DMC), Ludhiana; and SCTIMST, Trivandrum. As part of the study, air purifiers were installed in the homes of 10 heart failure patients in Trivandrum and Kollam districts. The plan is to expand this number and install a total of 200 air purifiers in patients' homes across these districts. "Air pollution is often seen as a problem of cities and traffic, but indoor air pollution is equally dangerous, especially in places where people spend most of their time — their homes. For patients with heart failure, who are particularly vulnerable to environmental stressors, breathing cleaner air could significantly reduce complications, hospitalisations, and even death," Dr Harikrishnan S, the principal investigator, said. He said if successful, it could lead to new guidelines for managing heart failure, emphasising the importance of air quality at home. It may also inform national health policies, making air purifiers a potential part of patient care for high-risk groups. The findings could benefit millions of people living in polluted regions, not just in India, but globally. With heart disease being the leading cause of death in India, innovative, evidence-based interventions are urgently needed. By focusing on the connection between clean air and cardiac health, this research places India at the forefront of an emerging area of public health. SCTIMST and its partners are hopeful that the study will provide valuable data to shape the future of care for heart failure patients — one breath at a time, Dr Harikrishnan added.
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Temporary solution to supply crisis at SCTIMST
The crisis that evolved at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) following supply shortage of cath lab materials used for interventional radiology procedures seems to have had a temporary resolution, with the institute reaching an interim agreement with HLL Lifecare Ltd. for the procurement and supply of materials. At a meeting called by the Director of SCTIMST with HLL Lifecare Ltd. here on Monday, it was decided that the latter would procure and supply the high-end cath lab materials required by the institute through its AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) retail pharmacy network, so that the immediate crisis at SCTIMST, which had resulted in a total halt to all neuro interventional procedures, can be resolved. Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Tourism Suresh Gopi was also present at the meeting, along with senior faculty members of the institute. The supply shortage of cath lab materials had reached a situation wherein the doctors at the Imaging Sciences and Interventional Radiology department had informed the director that from Monday, they would not be performing any interventional procedures till a regular and uninterrupted supply of materials could be ensured. Without an MoU 'It would require a lot of paperwork and legal vetting before we can enter into a formal MoU with HLL Lifecare Ltd. so that steady procurement through the AMRIT pharmacy network is possible. However, in view of the current crisis, HLL Lifecare has agreed to ensure uninterrupted supply of cath lab materials for us even without the MoU. We hope to resume interventional procedures at the hospitalmaybe within a week,' a senior administrative official at SCTIMST told The Hindu. 'For the past two years, the institute has been trying to shift to a new procurement system and this involved a lot of process delays. In 2023, we renewed the rate contract with 24 medical device companies who had been our suppliers for the past several years. The current crisis resulted when four companies, who had the monopoly over the specific materials, refused to go with the 2023 prices and in effect, pulled the rug from under our feet,' he added. Mostly imported materials He added that the Institute now has the option of procurement through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal as well as AMRIT, which is also a fair price initiative under the Health ministry. However, there have been many quality concern issues and technical rejections due to non-conformance to specifications under the GeM. Most of the materials used by the interventional radiology department are imported, many of which do not have Indian substitutes. While the meeting was on, a group of Youth Congress activists had barged into the SCTIMST, protesting against the disruption in patient care. A minor scuffle ensued, but the protesters were pacified by the director. In a statement here, CPI(M) district secretary V. Joy, MLA, claimed that the Union government was systematically trying to undermine the functioning of the SCTIMST.
Hans India
09-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Youth Congress workers storm Sree Chithra Institute over surgery delays amid equipment shortage
Thiruvananthapuram: Youth Congress activists of Kerala on Monday stormed the prestigious Sree Chithra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in the state capital, protesting the postponement of critical surgeries due to a severe shortage of surgical equipment. SCTIMST, a centrally-run institute known for its excellence in cardiology and neurology, is a lifeline for thousands -- particularly the poor and underprivileged -- seeking advanced medical treatment. However, the hospital has recently been grappling with disrupted medical services after contracts with suppliers of key surgical instruments lapsed and were not renewed. The issue arises from a directive mandating that all purchases be made exclusively through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, which primarily features Indian-made products. According to hospital sources and protesters, many essential surgical items -- especially those sourced internationally -- are not available on the portal. Earlier, the institute was allowed to float tenders and negotiate directly with suppliers, a process now discontinued. Angered by the delay in surgeries, a group of Youth Congress workers managed to bypass the hospital's tight security and reach the office of the Director. Shouting slogans against the BJP-led Central government, they accused it of jeopardising the lives of poor patients. Tensions escalated as protesters clashed verbally with police personnel inside the hospital premises. 'The poor depend on this hospital for life-saving treatments. The Centre's rigid policies are disrupting care and delaying surgeries. This is unacceptable,' said one of the protesters. Later in the day, newly appointed Union Minister of State for Tourism, Suresh Gopi, who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, visited SCTIMST for discussions with the hospital administration to assess the situation. 'I came here in my role as liaison minister. We had a constructive discussion with officials, and the matter is being taken seriously,' Gopi told reporters. 'We will now approach the Union Finance Minister and other concerned authorities to expedite a resolution. I am confident the issue will be resolved soon,' he added.
United News of India
09-06-2025
- Health
- United News of India
Emergency surgeries stopped at country's prestigious Sree Chitra Institute
Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 (UNI) Several emergency surgeries were stopped indefinitely due to a shortage of equipment at the country's prestigious 'Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST). Surgeries in the Interventional Radiology department were stopped for the last few days as the patients admitted for emergency surgeries have also been discharged, sources told UNI. The companies supplying equipment say that they are not able to supply it at the old rate following the increase in price of foreign-made surgical equipment. Sree Chithira purchases surgical equipment only through the Government e Marketplace (GeM) Portal as per the Central Government's instructions. There is also a serious allegation that an unholy nexus between the supply companies demanding a price hike of surgical equipment and a top few in the Institute led to the current crisis. UNI DS ARN
