Dr Ramakant Panda, head of Asian Heart Institute has been running around for a year and a half to get the institute's heart transplant licence renewed.
It is an irony that cannot be ignored. Despite being prime minister (PM) Manmohan Singh’s heart surgeon and one of the world’s top physicians, Dr Ramakant Panda, the head of Asian Heart Institute (AHI), has been running around for a year and a half to get AHI’s heart transplant licence renewed.
The Padma Vibhushan recipient has spoken out against the red tapism in the state health department. His renewal application, which was submitted on November 18, 2009, is yet to be worked upon, despite him fulfilling all conditions and having the necessary documents.
“In the past year and half me and my colleagues have sent five reminders and followed up over a 100 times orally… Will I be harassed only because I don’t pull rank and get my work done?” he asked.
Assistant director (human organ transplant act) of the state health services Dr UR Kathane defended the delay calling it circumstantial. “We are trying to form a team for inspection and that has delayed things a bit. We will do our best to ensure that the renewal comes through within a fortnight.”
Dr Panda, with 25 years of experience and over 16,000 bypass surgeries, is worried that the delay will throw a spanner in the works of the hospital.
His frustration is understandable since AHI has already sent senior nursing staff to train abroad. “The other trained staff are not being used to their optimum capacity.” Dr Panda says he comes across at least 100 patients a year who need heart transplants. “Without timely treatment it can prove fatal,” he said.
Senior officials from the state health service department confirm that not a single heart transplant has been conducted in the state since the Organ Transplant Act of 1994 permitted such transplants in six city hospitals.
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