Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Dec 13: Due to sheer negligence of Microbiology department of Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, the State exchequer has suffered a loss of Rs 6.30 crore, an amount which was sanctioned for establishing a BSL 2/3 swine flu lab in the hospital premises, as the department has already a Centrally funded laboratory wherein besides swine flu testing of various other viral diseases can be done. However, both the labs are not in a position to conduct tests for swine flu and the samples are being sent to GMC Kangra, as BSL 2/3 lab is not complete in terms of medical equipments, staff and kits while the department has no testing kits for Centrally funded lab.
According to the sources in the administrative department, the proposal to establish BSL 2/3 swine flu lab was moved by Microbiology Department of GMCH Jammu in 2009 after the outbreak of major swine flu epidemic in the same year but the department didn’t get any response from administrative department.
However, due to increasing morbidity and mortality with each passing year and after many reminders to the administrative department, the project was conceived by the administrative department in 2011 but the decision to establish the swine flu lab was taken by the State Cabinet only on March 4, 2015 following which Planning and Development Department sanctioned an amount of Rs 6.30 crore for the said project.
Sources said that project was taken on priority and the work on the lab along with isolation wards was completed fully till ending December 2015. In June 2016, the purchasing committee of GMCH Jammu also placed order to J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) for required medical equipments and testing kits so that the lab may be made functional from this winter season but despite lapse of over five months the Corporation could not provide these essential equipments and as a result, the lab is unlikely to be started from this winter season. As per JKMSCL sources, the Corporation cannot provide these medical equipments in another 5-6 months as the bid is still awaited.
“Meanwhile in the year 2013, the Department of Health Research (DHR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi also provided financial grant worth crores for establishing a BSL-2 Virus Research Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) to Microbiology Department of the Hospital.
Though this lab was set up completely till ending 2015 but even a single test could not be done here for Swine flu in last season because of unavailability of testing kits, as both State and Central Governments are not ready to provide the same”, sources informed and added that even in November this year some swab samples were sent for testing at Government Medical College, Kangra, from which it is clear that GMC Jammu is not ready this season also for testing of swine flu.
“While the State Government is asking the department to seek testing kits from the Central Government as it was Centrally funded project, the Central Government is denying the same on the plea that the project sanctioned covers only establishing the lab and provide medical equipments while providing testing kits is State Government’s job”, sources said, adding due to tussle between the two Governments, the priority health project of the State (i.e, BSL 2/3 swine flu testing facility in Jammu) is being ignored.
Sources asked that while VRDL labs in other States are getting testing kits from the Centre, why can’t VRDL Lab of GMC Jammu get the same? They alleged that the Principal investigator who is heading the lab has completely failed to appropriately put up the issue in front of ICMR due to which they are not getting testing kits, which are very costly in open market.
“What is more shocking is that HOD Microbiology is now describing the State funded BSL 2/3 lab as duplication and wastage of State funds, stating that the VRDL has already been established and acquired all major lab equipments from Central grant”, sources in the administrative department said and questioned why the HOD did not feel this when the State funded project was taken up in 2015 and let the State funds worth crores going waste which could be used for other infrastructure development in the Medical College.
Criticizing the role of Microbiology Department, sources said why the 2nd project was taken up by the department when they had already received grants from the Centre for VRDL in 2013, adding now when the State funded lab is ready to use, the HOD Microbiology is describing it duplication and wastage of State funds instead of providing skilled man power for running the lab, which is the department’s moral responsibility.
Sources said that there seems some confusion within the department, as firstly the HOD which is supposed to be head a project did not take up the Centrally funded project and let her junior to take the same and now she is terming the State project as sheer wastage of funds.
When contacted, HOD Microbiology, Dr Bela Mahajan said, “Of course continuing this project is duplication and wastage of funds, as swine flu tests as well as tests of various other viral epidemics can be done at VRDL lab . “I have also written a letter regarding this to the College Principal who has asked me to explain the difference between these two labs”.
To a question why she did not see this as duplication of funds in March 2015 when the funds for the State funded BSL 2/3 lab were released and work taken up, Dr Mahajan failed to give any satisfactory answer.
Managing Director, JKMSCL, Dr Yashpal Sharma, when contacted, said that they invited bids two times for supply of essential equipments for BSL 2/3 lab of GMC Jammu but got no response. He said if they do not get any response third time, they will think of purchasing the same from the open market at the same price on which corporations of others States have purchased. However, they said that testing kits are not any issue and the purchasing committee of Medical College can purchase the same from open market.
It is worth mentioning here that suspected swine flu cases are being regularly reported in GMCH Jammu and SMGS Hospital, Jammu and there is hue and cry among the public. Therefore in view of public interest, Health and Medical Education Minister, Bali Bhagat and Secretary, MK Bhandari should intervene into the matter and take to task to those who despite causing losses worth crores of rupees to State exchequer, could not start swine flu testing facility in GMCH Jammu.
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