Free hip and knee replacement procedures at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)--run Kamla Nehru Hospital (KNH) have been discontinued since July. Officials on Monday announced that the free replacement surgeries will continue only from next year.
Since 2018, the KNH has been PMC’s sole hospital for free hip and knee replacement procedures. Initially, all surgeries, including implants, were free of charge. The ‘Urban Poor Health Scheme’ covered the cost of implants.
The PMC awarded a contract to a private business three years ago to supply the implants needed for hip and knee replacement surgery. However, the contract expired in July, forcing the patients to run from pillar to post for free hip and knee replacement procedures.
58-year-old, Sunita Kamble (name changed), resident of Manjri, said, the knee replacement surgery was scheduled in December.
“I have been living with unbearable pain for over one, hoping this surgery would give me some relief. I can’t afford private hospital fees. But when I learnt that I have to pay ₹ 70k for the implant,” she said.
Sunita has visited KNH multiple times, only to be told to wait until implants are available. In the meantime, her condition has worsened, leaving her almost immobile.
{{/usCountry}}Sunita has visited KNH multiple times, only to be told to wait until implants are available. In the meantime, her condition has worsened, leaving her almost immobile.
{{/usCountry}}Vishwanath Gore (name changed), 65, a resident of Bavdhan, was referred to KNH for hip replacement surgery in October. After completing the required tests, he was ready for the procedure. However, the surgery was indefinitely postponed due to the implant shortage.
“I exhausted my savings to pay for the initial tests, and now I am stuck. Private hospitals are asking for over ₹2 lakh, which is impossible for me to arrange,” he said.
Dr Prashant Bothe, medical superintendent of KNH, said, that in a month 25 to 30 surgical procedures are done at the hospital. “The delay in appointing a new supplier for implants has caused this disruption. The implants cost around ₹70k to 80k and the patients who are willing to pay for it undergo replacement surgery. In case of needy patients, we refer them to the Sassoon General Hospital,” he said.
Dr Suryakant Deokar, assistant health chief and head of the procurement cell at PMC, said, “We are in the process of floating a new tender to hire an agency to supply the implants. Due to the election code of conduct the tender could not be floated. In a week the new tender will be floated. However, it will take time to appoint a new agency, and the supply is likely to resume from next year,” he said.