Mumbai: The Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery (CVTS) department at BYL Nair Hospital resumed heart surgeries after 45 days of being forcibly shut due to non-supply of surgical materials by vendors over unpaid dues by the BMC.

The CVTS department of Nair hospital is well-known for treating heart-related ailments and performing life-saving surgeries. However, heart patients and their families had to struggle after vendors stopped delivering supplies because of unpaid bills. Unable to carry on surgeries, the department then requested permission to refer patients to other BMC hospitals.

“We were in the process of streamlining the payments but the vendors insisted that they will not resume supplies until they receive a substantial amount,” said a BMC official from Nair Hospital.

In March last year as well, the department had to stop surgeries due to pending bills. At the time, the dean ordered CVTS surgeries to be referred to other hospitals.

“We hope that the vendor payment issue and the latter stopping the services will not be repeated. We have been struggling with it for the last one year,” said a doctor from the department, who added they have also seen delays in payments to food vendors and laundry supply vendors as well. “The payment of vendors is becoming a serious issue that higher authorities need to resolve at the earliest,” he added.