Earlier this month, the Appropriate Authority members signed the report which automatically paved the way for granting the Manipal hospital a registration for conducting kidney transplants. However, within hours the Congress party got the sniff of it and made charged that granting of permission is a huge scam. Clarifying his stand Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that he has asked the Secretary to hold the Appropriate Authority decision on hold. “The allegations made by Congress are serious and hence I have asked secretary Health to move the file to the government and not to be approve the minutes of Appropriate Authority inspection or further process it till the file comes to me and a detailed discussion is held between me and the Secretary Health,” Vishwajit told Herald in a telephonic conversation. He said that he has also directed Health Secretary Sudhir Mahajan not to issue any permission to Manipal Hospital.
“No permissions will be given to the Manipal hospital unless I am convinced that the allegations made are not true,” he said adding “the decision is in public interest. I have faith in Health Secretary and the Appropriate Authority but when the allegations are made by somebody you have to be extra cautious.” “Finally I have to answer the Opposition in the Assembly,” he said. When pointed out that the patients are suffering as even GMC does not have the transplant facility, he said “I am here only for last three months. The Nephrologist Dr JP Tiwari has been granted leave for two years without any substitute and now I am trying to get one at least on contract basis.” The government has changed three committees since the Manipal hospital submitted its proposal with respect to kidney transplant to the Directorate of Health services in July last year.
The fourth, and present, committee was constituted only last month. “I have started the process of restarting the kidney unit under Dr JP Tiwari,” he said.
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Congress smells a rat
Congress MLA Reginald Lourenco said that the Appropriate Authority decision is a huge scam.
“As it is this hospital has been fleecing patients wherein huge amounts are being charged for ICU and other facilities,” Reginald said.
He alleged that the Secretary Health has been strongly in favour of granting permission to this hospital as the government has changed four committees so far only on this issue.
“The minister does not know what is happening the bureaucrats are taking him for a ride,” said Reginald adding “if the experts feel the hospital does not have facilities for transplants who is Secretary to pressurise them?”
