The Meghalaya High Court on May 13 termed the death of a cardiac patient in North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) as “unfortunate” due to the ongoing crisis in the super specialty hospital’s Cardiology department.

On the other hand, the powerful Khasi Student’s Union (KSU) on Monday stormed and put the NEIGRIHMS Director D.M. Thappa’s office under lock and key in protest against the death of two patients in cardiology department due to unavailability of devices relating to heart patients.

A division bench comprising of Chief Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice H.S. Thangkhiew has directed the Head of Cardiology Department to file an affidavit, in a chronological manner, stating detailing patient care from May 5, when she was admitted in the Cardiology Department right up to her death with supporting proof.

Moreover, the Court also directed the Head of the Cardiology Department , wherein it shall be item-wise indicated as to whether the decisions as were taken in the High Level Meeting headed by the Additional Chief Secretary were followed in letter and spirit. Further, the Bench also made Amrit Pharmacy a respondent and asked Rupa Chakraborty to file an affidavit and to state as to whether she followed the decisions taken in the meeting held on May 9.

Dr. Animesh Mishra, Head of Cardiology Department, informed the Court that at present 19 patients are waiting for surgery. “Requisite items are to be made available from today so that the Cardiology Department will be able to perform surgeries. The Head of the Cardiology Department will send the requisition to the Medical Superintendent today, and, thereafter, Medical Superintendent shall ensure supply of those articles without fail,” the Bench said.

Meanwhile, KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar said:“We have closed down the office chamber of the director with a demand that the government should immediately remove him from the institute for playing with the lives of the patients.” The KSU also held NEIGRIHMS director responsible for the present crisis in the institute.

“The attitude of the incumbent director clear shows that he is not there to improve the functioning of the premier institute,” Marngar said. On May 12, the opposition Congress demanded for an Inquiry into the NEIGRIHMS crisis. “There should be proper inquiry of what is happening inside NEIGRHIMS. If anybody is found doing something intentionally to derail the whole process of the health care delivery system, they must be pulled up and action be taken as per law,” Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma said.

NEIGRIHMS’ Cardiology department came to a standstill after the director of the super specialty hospital, Dr. D.M.Thappa claimed that private vendors were illegally selling stents and pacemakers at the Institute instead of procuring from the Amrit Pharmacy.