Thu Sep 18 17:40:37 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the provided text and a rewritten news article based on it:
**Summary:**
The Urology department at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital faced a temporary disruption in surgical procedures due to a shortage of supplies. Equipment suppliers halted deliveries, demanding payment for outstanding bills. Historically, patients would pool funds to purchase necessary equipment when shortages occurred, but this practice was recently banned after controversy involving the Urology Head of Department. The current shortage involves a flexible ureteroscope. Hospital authorities have reportedly reached an understanding with distributors to resume supplies. The hospital acknowledges challenges in managing daily operations and is working to streamline procurement processes to avoid future disruptions, following recommendations from an expert committee.
**News Article:**
**Urology Procedures Briefly Halted at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Due to Supply Shortage**
*Thiruvananthapuram, September 18, 2025* – Surgical procedures at the Urology department of the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital were temporarily suspended on Thursday after a dispute with equipment suppliers over unpaid bills resulted in a critical shortage of supplies.
The disruption was caused by the non-availability of essential equipment, including flexible ureteroscopes which costs close to ₹60,000. Distributors, citing significant outstanding invoices, refused to resume deliveries until payments were cleared.
Historically, patients at the hospital would collectively contribute funds to purchase necessary equipment when faced with shortages. However, this practice was discontinued after a controversy involving the Urology Head of the Department, Haris Chirakkal. The government subsequently issued a directive prohibiting patients from being solicited for funds in public hospitals.
The hospital administration acknowledged the disruption and stated that authorities have since reached an agreement with the distributors who have promised to resume the supplies, though they did not specify when.
“It takes a lot of ingenuity to resolve the day to day hassles in a hospital as large as the Thiruvananthapuram medical college, which caters to tens of thousands of patients. We are trying to streamline the HDS purchases and implement a running contract system for the yearly requirement of various departments so that these daily hassles can be avoided.” said a senior Hospital Official. The expert committee which looked into the purchase-related problems raised by Dr. Chirackal had suggested some overhauling of the system.
Hospital officials emphasized the ongoing efforts to streamline procurement processes and implement a running contract system to avoid similar disruptions in the future. A committee is working on overhauling purchase systems and streamlining the HDS purchases. The goal is to transition to a more efficient system that eliminates reliance on ad-hoc solutions and ensures a consistent supply of necessary medical equipment.
First Piper 