JAMMU: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh high court (HC) Tuesday took suo motu cognisance of a shocking lapse at Government Super Speciality Hospital (GSSH), Jammu, wherein cardiac care services reportedly remained paralysed for two days after registered vendors allegedly stopped supplying emergency cardiac devices over unpaid dues, amounting to nearly Rs 30 crore, under Ayushman Bharat scheme.HC was informed about the situation while it was hearing four PILs seeking directions for adequate medical facilities and infrastructure in capital cities and urban areas, besides regulation and monitoring of private nursing homes and medical institutes as per govt guidelines.A bench of Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal noted that, as per newspaper reports placed before it, the supply of stents, pacemakers, balloons and cath lab consumables to GSSH remained suspended — on Monday and Tuesday — over the pending payments, bringing the hospital’s cath lab operations to a grinding halt.While GSSH usually performs around 25 cardiac procedures daily, not a single heart-related intervention could be carried out during this period, placing vulnerable cardiac patients at serious risk, the bench noted.HC posted the next hearing for December 29.Late Tuesday, the official spokesperson of GMC Jammu — with which GSSH is affiliated — said the health department had “directed GMC Jammu to arrange supplies from alternative vendors and other institutions, including AIIMS Vijaypur, GMC Srinagar, SKIMS and PGIMER Chandigarh and consequently, cardiac services were restored forthwith”.
