In recent communication by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to Delhi High Court, the hospital authorities have said that though they provide free treatment to patients, they do not supply costly implants required in operations like hip and knee replacement surgeries due to “budgetary constraints”.
The response of the premier hospital came on a petition filed by 38-year-old Sarvesh who suffers from Reiter’s disease and seeks “free of cost” bilateral hip and knee replacement surgeries. The implants will cost him around Rs8 lakh for treatment of reactive arthritis which is classified as an auto-immune condition that may develop in response to an infection in another part of the body.
“It must be noted here that the above stated implants are not provided by AIIMS in view of budgetary constraints and the information regarding the above situation was also conveyed to the applicant (Sarvesh),” the affidavit, filed by AIIMS before Justice Vibhu Bakhru, said, adding the implants, which may cost around Rs8 lakh, have to be procured by the patient.
The hospital said such patients can approach the Centre and the State Government for financial assistance. The affidavit further added, “It is also relevant to mention here that non-plan budget of hospital used for procurement of materials and supplies, including medicines, surgical items etc. For the hospital in-patients is barely sufficient to ensure procurement of general use items (cleaning materials, linen, stationery) and common emergency medicines and surgical items for hospitalised patients. Further, it is not possible or practical to provide such costly items like implants etc to all patients from the available hospital budget.” It also said that the funds received from the Government are not sufficient to perform “high-class expensive surgeries” at AIIMS.
Earlier, the High Court had issued notice to the Centre and AIIMS on the plea of Sarvesh seeking free treatment at the hospital for his autoimmune disease which requires surgery. Sarvesh, who used to work as a casual labourer, has moved the High Court as he has been left crippled and immobile because of the ailment and urgently requires a hip and knee replacement surgery.