Despite numerous directions from HC, Govt showing no urgency in setting up Eye Bank

JKMSCL, GMC passing bucks on procurement of equipment

Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 2: Notwithstanding repeated directions from the State High Court, the Government is showing no urgency in making functional much needed Eye Bank in Jammu although process in this regard was set into motion six years back and crores of rupees have already been spent on raising infrastructure.
In the year 2012, several PILs were filed in J&K High Court seeking establishment of Eye Bank in the State as the lone Eye Bank of the State in GMC Jammu was closed down several years back due to alleged lack of sufficient legal framework and some infrastructure back-up.
On the directions of the Division Bench of the High Court, the process for establishing two Eye Banks, one at GMC Jammu and other at GMC Srinagar was started in the same year but even after lapse of over five years, Jammuites are waiting for this important facility while on the other hand, the GMC Srinagar has not only established the Eye Bank but also made it functional since last year.
Pertinently, more than 70 cornea transplantations have been done by doctors of GMC Srinagar since the Eye Bank was made functional there.
However, according to sources the Eye Bank in GMC Jammu is yet to be made functional though crores of rupees have been spent on raising infrastructure. “Civil work was completed long ago by spending over Rs 1.10 crore and some ancillary items were also procured by spending over Rs 10 lakh. Most of the library books have also been purchased while ambulance for the Eye Bank has been provided by Directorate of Health Services Jammu”, they added.
“The recruitment of additional staff for the Eye Bank has also been done. However, the registration of the bank is still pending for want of some specific medical equipment,” they said while disclosing that some months back the hospital authorities managed to get conditional registration for three months but that too was withdrawn last month as Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation could not provide three specific equipments to the Ophthalmology Department within the stipulated time frame, which was the pre-condition for the registration.
Holding J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) responsible for inordinate delay in making Eye Bank functional in Jammu, sources said that the Corporation has failed to procure required drugs, equipments and other necessary machinery for the bank although hospital authorities had submitted list of needed equipments and machinery to it long ago along with transfer of adequate funds.
They said that Ophthalmologists of GMC Jammu in last four months performed about six cornea transplantations in normal Operation Theatre (OT) of the department that too without any external help but now they will not be able to do so as registration of Eye Bank stands withdrawn due to slackness of the Corporation in procuring machinery.
“In last over one year, Corporation floated tenders three times for procuring requisite machinery and medical equipments for the Eye Bank but in vain as in some cases no bid was received while in some cases, only single bid was received”, sources said, adding “if the GMC authorities remain dependent on the Corporation for procurement of machinery and equipments, the Eye Bank may not become reality”.
They asserted that the State Government should open its eyes and authorize hospital administration to purchase the machinery and equipments on their own to make the Eye Bank functional in the current year.
When contacted, Principal, GMC Jammu, Dr Sunanda Raina, said that there is no delay on their part. “Everything right from civil work, other infrastructure, furniture and ambulance is in place. If there is something left, it is procurement of machinery and medical equipments, for which we have transferred required funds to JKMSCL, long ago”, she added.
Dr Sunanda said that due to delay in procurement of equipments by the Corporation and subsequent delay in making the Eye Bank functional she is facing embarrassment before the higher authorities as well as High Court.
On registration of the Eye Bank, she said, “it is not an issue. Once requisite machinery is provided to us by the Corporation, the process for registration will be started and hopefully it will be got within no time”.
Managing Director, JKMSCL, Dr Inderjeet Bhagat, when contacted, said “we opened tenders three times for procurement of equipments for Eye Bank but did not get adequate response and tendering have been concluded.”
“However, few days back some of the equipments for which single bids were received, have been finalized for placing order, by the Rates Reasonable Committee which comprised officials of Corporation and some designated doctors including HoD Opthalmology. The cost of these equipments is about Rs 2 crore and we have only Rs 40 lakh, so we cannot place orders for procurement of these equipments too unless more funds are transferred to us by the hospital authorities for which they have been communicated.”
He said for pending equipments tenders will be floated on the receipt of more funds.

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