Implantation of heart stents: cost can be brought down to Rs 0.1 million, SC told

A panel of senior cardiologists informed the Supreme Court on Monday that the cost of implanting heart stents can be brought down to Rs 0.1 million from Rs 0.3 million. The committee had been formed by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar in a suo motu case over use of substandard stents in the country.
Dr Azhar Kiyani, a member of the panel, told the bench that stents can be placed in the heart at a cost of Rs 0.1 million. Expressing satisfaction over the report, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar lauded the performance of the committee, saying the senior doctors have done invaluable service to the whole nation.
"The report is wonderful and it is great news," the Chief Justice said. However, he mentioned that this price is still high for the common man. Justice Ijazul Hasan praised Dr Kiyani and stated that he has saved many lives.
The top court ordered that report be sent to the health ministry, secretaries of health departments, national health authorities, the provincial information minister, and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP). The court adjourned the hearing of the case, with directives to all the departments concerned and institutions to submit their recommendations on receipt of the said report within next 10 days.
Last year, the Chief Justice took suo motu notice over reports that some hospitals in Lahore are either recommending stents unnecessarily or charging patients up to Rs 180,000, while actual cost was no more than a few thousand rupees. It was also reported that in some cases, stents were not even implanted in the patients and they were charged for fake angioplasties.