Hyderabad, April 11: The Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) has considerably reduced the cost of cardiac stents by discussing with manufacturers and through a tender process.
At a press conference here on Saturday, NIMS Director D. Prasada Rao said the initiative was launched after considering that many of the patients coming for medical assistance belonged to the poorer sections of society.
Accordingly, the price of a stainless steel stent was brought down from Rs. 16,000 to Rs. 12,000 (32 per cent reduction) and a chromium cobalt stent would be made available at Rs. 17,000 instead of the earlier Rs. 25,000 (38 per cent down). Significantly, the price of a drug-eluting stent was slashed from Rs. 85,000 to Rs. 45,000 (50 per cent reduction), he said.
Dr. Prasada Rao explained that a technical panel with seven eminent doctors had screened the products on offer by the manufacturers. In order to get the best of advice on their quality, the committee had experts both from the Government and private sectors.
After calling for bids, the panel had recommended certain companies whose stents could be purchased. By engaging in discussions with the companies and making the process competitive, they had brought down the prices, Medical Superintendent Nimma Satyanarayana said.
On development of the Punjagutta campus of NIMS, Dr. Rao said two new wings are coming up on the Banjara Hills side at a cost of Rs. 200 crore.
They include an Accident and Emergency Hospital and a Speciality Hospital. They would be ready in a few months.
These apart, proposals had been sent to the government for setting up separate departments for heart, brain and kidney ailments.
–Agencies