Linen shortage at GMC leads to deferred surgeries

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-06-24
PANAJI - The doctors at the Goa Medical College have been facing a problem of a different kind (shortage of linen – particularly gowns and sheets of sterilised linen) that has forced them to postpone many operations in the recent past.
According to sources in the GMC there is acute shortage of linen and as 10-12 sheets of sterilised linen are required for each operation, the doctors performing surgery find it difficult to carry out the operations fixed for the day and that a number of the operations get postponed.
The sources also informed that the postponing of operations do not end the problem and rather the situation worsens as they are added to subsequent days and that there was no resolution in sight as the file for purchase of operation theatre linen was sent to the government for approval exactly a year ago as per laws as only one contractor had bid for the tender.
Despite six reminders to the concerned officials at the centre of power, the file is still doing rounds at the Secretariat adding to the agony of the GMC doctors. In the meanwhile, doctors at the GMC continue to receive brickbats from the patients and their relatives for postponing operations as their pleas about non-availability of linen are not accepted by the patients and relatives.
The sources also informed that in some cases the operations were carried out if the patients or their relatives agree to buy disposable drips (not made of cloth), which could be used for single operation and which are a bit costly. Interestingly the dean of GMC has powers to make purchases of Rs 15,000 only, and the amount is too small to meet the demand of the apex medical institute in the state.
But most of the patients cannot afford it and have to wait for their turn and they often grumble for being harassed as they have to not only remain hungry but their relatives are made to come every now and then the operations are scheduled and later postponed. Sources say that doctors take up emergency operations first and others subsequently and some operations have been inordinately delayed.
The problem has been perennial for a number of years and the dean of the GMC, Dr V N Jindal, had constituted a panel to study the issue and suggest remedial action and it decided that the government should acquire OT linen in requisite quantity at one go and that subsequently more could be added.
Accordingly, the proposal was sent to the government and after approval the tenders were floated but since only one company had participated in the bid the file was sent to the government for approval in June last year and has been lying there since then.