Shillong, May 14: Following the standoff between the cardiology department and the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) administration that led to the closing down of services of the cardiology department, the Meghalaya government has urged the Centre to institute an inquiry to find out the truth.

Earlier the State government had also urged the Centre to remove the present director of NEIGRIHMS, Dr DM Thappa.

The government said that problems cropped up after this director took charge.

Health minister, A.L. Hek said that the Centre was apprised verbally about the problems at NEIGRIHMS, and he would write a letter to Union health minister, J.P. Nadda on the need to institute an inquiry committee.

Problems started in the cardiology department after surgery of patients could not be conducted due to non availability of equipments such stents, and pacemakers.

The NEIGRIHMS administration did not allow the cardiology department to use equipments purchased from outside, and shutdown services of on the ground that the head of the Cardiology department was not co-operating with the administration with regards to making treatment of poor patients affordable as per the Union health ministry regulations.

But Dr Animesh Mishra, the head of Cardiology department denied the allegations, and said that not a single patient was operated by violating the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority guidelines.

Hek said that patients admitted for surgery in the cardiology department have suffered due to shutdown of services, and one patient has also passed away last week.

“The hospital should not play with the people’s lives,” he said.

According to Hek, the Centre had earlier asked the Director to take leave, but he took shelter from the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and continued as director.