Early Times Report
Jammu, June 15: The Government Medical College, Jammu has plans to purchase ambulance for a non-existing eye bank.
According to documents available with Early Times the department of health and medical education has sanctioned funds to purchase ambulance for eye bank, GMCH Jammu.
"Purchase of one ambulance vehicle by Principal Government Medical and Hospital Jammu for Rs 10.50 lacs only available under capex budget 2015-16 for establishment of Eye Bank at GMCH Jammu", government order number 184 HME/2016, dated March 29, 2016 read.
Ridiculing, HME approach to hoodwink masses, sources said that Ambulance is being purchased for non-existing eye bank. "It is not an isolated case where public money is being drained, equipment worth several crore have also been purchase for non-existing eye bank", they said, adding that establishment of the much awaited eye bank has been caught into vertex due to legal hurdle, unfortunately, no steps in this regard has been taken by the state government.
"To establish Eye Bank, law by state legislation, organ transplant act, was to made by the state government, and same has not been made", sources said, adding that during his tenure, R S Chib as Health and Medical Education Minister had initiated the process to fulfill the criteria, but unfortunately after lapse of five years noting in this regard has been done.
Earlier, the GMCH Jammu had its own eye bank that was started in 1997 and a list of persons who had registered for corneal transplants and were ready to donate their eyes, the bank was close down due legal problems. "But since eye bank has been closed now, the patients have no alternative but to go outside the state for transplants. Most of the states of India have their registered eye banks", sources said. |
