Probe launched into procurement of implants at Sushruta Trauma Centre

Sources at the hospital said that a report has been sought from Dr Vinod Kumar, HOD, Orthopaedics at Maulana Azad Medical College, who also looks after the orthopaedic department at the Trauma Centre.

The office of the Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, responding to queries by the Indian Express, said that the Secretary (Health & Family Welfare), was directed to conduct a vigilance inquiry into the issue and submit the report within three weeks.

“But due to the recent amendment in the GNCTD Act, this action too was either not initiated by the Department or if initiated, no information was sent to the Office of Health Minister till date,” it said, adding that under the new Act, which effectively hands over bureaucratic control to the Lieutenant Governor, secretaries and departments have “no accountability towards their Ministers”.

“Directions are being given but there is no administrative mechanism to ensure that directions are complied,” it said.

According to health department officials, the issue of non-availability of orthopaedic implants was reiterated by the Health Minister in the one-on-one meetings held with the Medical Superintendent of Delhi Government Hospitals in April, but no action had been taken.

Addressing the matter earlier, health minister Saurabh Bhardwaj had accepted that the Sushruta Trauma Centre does not have implants, and had blamed health department officials for the issue and said a vigilance inquiry should be initiated against officers “who have not made any progress in procuring the implants” in spite of his “clear directions”.