Temporary solution to supply crisis at SCTIMST

The crisis that evolved at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) following supply shortage of cath lab materials used for interventional radiology procedures seems to have had a temporary resolution, with the institute reaching an interim agreement with HLL Lifecare Ltd. for the procurement and supply of materials.

At a meeting called by the Director of SCTIMST with HLL Lifecare Ltd. here on Monday, it was decided that the latter would procure and supply the high-end cath lab materials required by the institute through its AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) retail pharmacy network, so that the immediate crisis at SCTIMST, which had resulted in a total halt to all neuro interventional procedures, can be resolved.

Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Tourism Suresh Gopi was also present at the meeting, along with senior faculty members of the institute.

The supply shortage of cath lab materials had reached a situation wherein the doctors at the Imaging Sciences and Interventional Radiology department had informed the director that from Monday, they would not be performing any interventional procedures till a regular and uninterrupted supply of materials could be ensured.

Without an MoU

“It would require a lot of paperwork and legal vetting before we can enter into a formal MoU with HLL Lifecare Ltd. so that steady procurement through the AMRIT pharmacy network is possible. However, in view of the current crisis, HLL Lifecare has agreed to ensure uninterrupted supply of cath lab materials for us even without the MoU. We hope to resume interventional procedures at the hospitalmaybe within a week,” a senior administrative official at SCTIMST told The Hindu.

“For the past two years, the institute has been trying to shift to a new procurement system and this involved a lot of process delays. In 2023, we renewed the rate contract with 24 medical device companies who had been our suppliers for the past several years. The current crisis resulted when four companies, who had the monopoly over the specific materials, refused to go with the 2023 prices and in effect, pulled the rug from under our feet,” he added.

Mostly imported materials

He added that the Institute now has the option of procurement through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal as well as AMRIT, which is also a fair price initiative under the Health ministry. However, there have been many quality concern issues and technical rejections due to non-conformance to specifications under the GeM. Most of the materials used by the interventional radiology department are imported, many of which do not have Indian substitutes.

While the meeting was on, a group of Youth Congress activists had barged into the SCTIMST, protesting against the disruption in patient care. A minor scuffle ensued, but the protesters were pacified by the director.

In a statement here, CPI(M) district secretary V. Joy, MLA, claimed that the Union government was systematically trying to undermine the functioning of the SCTIMST.

Published - June 09, 2025 08:32 pm IST