Thiruvananthapuram Medical College to stop receiving stent supplies due to non payment of dues

Kochi: With the Chamber of Distributors of Medical Implants and Disposables (CDMID), not being paid their dues of Rs 10 crore, there is the possibility of Cath Labs in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College stopping operations.

The CDMID will soon stop supplying stents to the hospital and will also recall the stock presently available at the hospital. A similar warning had been issued in February by the CDMID, which resulted in the hospital giving a letter assuring that a substantial part of the remaining dues will be paid before March 31. However, the hospital did not live up to its promise, reports the New Indian Express.

Following this, CDMID held its general body meeting to decide on the future of the consignment stocks.

“Every time they pay us some money (Rs 25,000 - Rs 50,000) saying they don’t have the bill for the rest of the stock. Thus, they would keep pushing the payment date and now the amount has reached a massive Rs 18 crore. With price capping and other restrictions on the stents, we are pushed into doing this. So, if the payments are not made by May 15, we will recall the stock and stop the supply,” Nidheesh PK, Secretary, CDMID told the daily.

“They have also claimed they would give the orders to Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd with whom they have an outstanding due of Rs 3 crore following which the corporation had stopped the supply,” he added.

“The pending money is actually that of stents used as part of schemes like ‘Karunya benevolence scheme’. It takes some time to process the bills. We pay all the money upfront once the bills are passed. However, Rs 18 crore is too big a claim. They bring stents and stock it here and we use the suitable stent at the time of angiogram and then pay for the stent. However, there is some money pending to be paid which we will pay as soon as possible. They will have to bring the bills for the rest of the money or at least the counterfoils and we have no problem with making the payment. We are ready for discussions on the issue,” Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, Superintendent, Dr Sharmad M S told TNIE.

Alappuzha Medical College also has pending dues which they have assured payment of by the end of May.