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‘Unavailability’ of drug at Shimla IGMC: Health services poor, says BJP on cancer patient’s death
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu says HIMCARE scheme is operational in all government hospitals of the state. “The BJP has been politicising every issue. No scheme has been stopped,” he adds
The BJP has criticised Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government for dwindling health services in the state after a cancer patient’s death allegedly due to non-availability of an injection at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla last month. Former CM Jai Ram Thakur raised questions on the health services of the state in a press conference in Shimla on Saturday. Thakur termed the death of cancer patient as “murder” and demanded an investigation into it.
Jhanvi of Bilaspur, in a video shared on social media, said her father Devraj went to the hospital in November but a required injection was not given. “He was registered in HIMCARE. “He made several rounds for the injection worth ₹50,000. He died on December 3,” she said, adding that he was not given injection owing to non-payment of dues by the government. “The state government has ruined the health system in the state. The people responsible are not ready to accept this,” said Thakur.
Thakur said the waiting period for CT scan and MRI in IGMC is two and a half to three months. “Robotic surgery has still not been started. PET scan machine has not been installed yet. Doctors are not available in hospitals. Sukhu government could not recruit new doctors,” he said.
Former BJP state president and MP Suresh Kashyap said the state government is not concerned about the people of Himachal.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, talking to media in Jawali assembly constituency in Kangra, said, “HIMCARE scheme is operational in all government hospitals in the state. The BJP has been politicising every issue. No scheme has been stopped. Only loot in the name of HIMCARE by private hospitals has been stopped,” he added.
Meanwhile, the IGMC has rubbished the allegations. A spokesperson said, “Devraj Sharma was given the best healthcare services and medicines. He was treated with chemo radiation and was cured. Unfortunately, when the disease recurred, his treatment was restarted with palliative chemotherapy but the patient did not respond to the treatment...”
The spokesperson said pharmacist of the Jan Aushadhi shop had requested the attendants of the patient to confirm about the availability of injection Nimotuzumab (Biomab) in three or four days as the supply order for the same has been issued. But the patient and his family did not come to this medicine shop to get the injection or medicines. As this injection is very expensive, it is to be procured from the vendor only and that too on the advice of the doctor. He said that the said case had been presented in a misleading manner.
