Church hospital equipment worth $1 mn goes missing

NAGRI MYSTERY: Surgical platforms, lights and furniture were shipped but never reached the hospital.

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Keywords: Laity Organisation, Medical Equipment

Nagri, Tamil Nadu: A missionary hospital in Nagri, Tamil Nadu, that serves over 30 villages is in disrepair. A CNN-IBN special investigation has suggested that maybe, the Church itself is to be blamed as medical equipment worth $1 million had been sent by American donors but never reached the hospital.

A letter accessed by CNN-IBN and written by an American, William Haywood, which records that he donated equipment worth $1 million to this hospital in 2003. Surgical platforms, lights and furniture were shipped to India, but never reached the hospital.

“Some Rs 4.6 crores of material came and that has been taken delivery from the shipyard to the Nagri hospital. Later on, I came to know that it was sold,” said Madras Diocese Treasurer (Retd),” Satyamurthy.

But the hospital authorities say the American donors sent medical supplies that were either unwanted or beyond their expiry date.

“They send us peritoneal fluid but now we do chemo dialysis. No one does peritoneal dialysis. Because they have to throw it into the sea, they send it to us. These are the kind of things they send,” stated Dr Rajkumari Sundar.

Adding another twist to the tale, M K Kumar, the driver who brought the shipment from the shipyard to Nagri, says the donated equipment was diverted by doctors.

The equipment came here and every week there were some doctors from Kanjeevaram who came here and took some equipment away,” reported Kumar.

The Church says that the donations when sent to Indian are often over-valued and not usable while the Laity organization alleges that individuals in the church are profiting by selling off equipment received in charity

“The accounts are not there. The money received is not reflected anywhere. How was it taken, how was it discharged and how was it accounted for?” demanded General Secretary, Major Victor, of the Laity Organisation.

In response to an FIR, church authorities were questioned.

The police say the shipment did reach the hospital, but they don't know where it went next. However, the police is yet to visit the hospital.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence says its own investigations are at a preliminary stage. But five years later, a $1 million donation to the church, is still missing.