Delhi’s Sushruta Trauma Centre runs out of implants, patients turn to dealers charging exorbitant prices

Several patients said that they have made the payment to dealers and agents who roam in the wards and appear to know everything about the patient on their own.

While authorities deny the shortage, an official source from the centre said it ran out of implants six months ago, adding that despite request to the health department, nothing has been done so far. Sources with the trauma centre said patients are told to either arrange the implants on their own, or the agents roaming in the campus contact them. “All the implants were exhausted six months back,” confirmed the source from the trauma centre.

The Indian Express recently spoke to several patients at the Trauma Centre’s OPD, which runs on Tuesday, and found that many were contacted by dealers on their own while they were admitted to the ward after suffering an injury.

Said Kumar, who works as an auto-rickshaw driver, “The agent told me that he has spoken with the doctor and this (implant) is what is required to treat me further. I gave him Rs 16,000 and he got us the implants.” Kumar claimed the agent received information about his requirements from the hospital staff.

“You can see my X-ray. Two nuts on ankle, two below the knee and a rod in between,” he said.

Kumar said he was not given any bill as he was told the amount would then increase further due to GST. His wife Nisha said they agreed to pay the agent with immediate effect as she wanted Kumar’s condition to improve.

When asked if they knew anything about Delhi Arogya Kosh (the cashless surgery scheme), the couple, both born and raised in Delhi, were unaware.

“We were confused and disturbed and did what those people (the agents) and the doctors asked for. What we learned from the hospital employees was that is how it works here, that patients have to bring implants from outside,” said Nisha.

‘Agents roam about the hospital’

The trauma centre was started by the Delhi government in 1998 to provide critical care management to all acute polytrauma victims with round-the-clock free emergency services. The centre is currently under the supervision of Lok Nayak Hospital’s Medical Director Dr Suresh Kumar.

Naushad, 42, who runs a puncture repairs shop in Mustafabad, said he received a bill from one “Mr Agrawal” who asked him for Rs 35,000 in cash for two titanium plates inserted in his left leg. Claiming that patients who need implants are being forced to pay for them, he said, “The agents keep roaming in the hospital. They contacted us on their own when my surgery was due. We gave him the money and the doctor then informed us when our ‘saamaan (goods)’ arrived.” Naushad said all the other six patients in the ward he was admitted to paid for implants. “All of them gave money,” he added.

Debrata Naik, 48, who works at a PG in Dwarka, said he paid Rs 19,000 for two plates and three screws which were inserted in his leg. “I met with an accident on August 10 when a biker drove over my leg. My ankle bone got dislocated. I know a person who works in this hospital who helped me get treated here and paid the money on my behalf,” said Naik, who belongs to Odisha and has been living in Delhi for the last 23 years. His wife Santoshi said they were told that the implant was not available at the hospital and that they would have to buy it from outside.

“What’s the point of a government hospital when we have to pay money? We also paid for a blood test at a private hospital. The travel from Dwarka also costs us Rs 1,000 every time we come here,” she said. Seated next to Kumar was Veerpal Yadav, 60, a painter, who claimed he paid Rs 16,000. He met with an accident on July 24, and on August 1, an operation was performed on his leg, he added. Veerpal said he tried paying the dealer through UPI but they wanted cash.

Dr Kumar, the centre incharge, said there was no fund crunch or shortage of implants and blamed the doctors for using “international brands” instead of the brands available in the hospital. “We, at any given point in time, have implants for at least 20 patients. However, we will look into the matter and will check why this is happening,” he said, adding that he will also initiate an inquiry on private implant dealers present in the hospital. “You tell us the name of the patients who got implants through dealers and we will take strict action against the dealers and doctors involved in it,” Dr Kumar told The Indian Express.