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| Watch Out: Health deptt is administering sub-standard drugs to patients | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Feb 7
Watch out before you approach a government hospital in Jammu and Kashmir for treatment. The drugs being administered to patients in the government hospitals are sub-standard and procured by the health department from `back-door' channels without following the due norms and regulations.
The recent report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India shows that the drugs in the government hospitals are adding to the luxuries of government officials rather than being effective on the patients.
The reports, copy of which is with the News Agency of Kashmir, revealed that drugs valuing Rs 14.14 lakh were supplied by Health Department to the hospitals, under its control, without first getting the analytical report from Drug and Food Control Organisation.
And Wait. This is not the end of the story. When the report was received it was revealed that the drugs already in use at various hospitals were sub-standard.
Drugs are procured by the Director, Health Services (DHS), Jammu on the basis of rates approved by the Central Purchase Committee (CPC), Health and Medical Education Department, on yearly basis.
As per the terms of supply order and the agreement drawn with suppliers, drugs supplied should conform to the specifications laid down in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Payment to the suppliers is released after verification of the supplies. However, for those drugs where samples are lifted by the Drug and Food Control Organization (DFCO) for conducting analysis, payment is to be released after receipt of their successful test-reports.
Scrutiny of records of the controller of stores (Health), Provincial Medical Store, Jammu during the annual audit revealed that drugs and dressing material costing Rs 17.64 lakh were purchased from six suppliers.
It was observed that, contrary to the terms and conditions, these medicines/dressing materials were not only paid for, but were also issued to hospitals before receipt of the test reports. The test reports, received, after a delay ranging between three and twenty months, declared the drugs to be substandard. "By the time the test reports were received, items amounting to Rs. 14.14 lakh already been administered to the patients", the reports said.
The report further said that despite the fact that the in 2002 the audit report had pointed out the supply of substandard drugs no step was taken to stop the menace. "The department again in 2004-05 finalized rate contracts with 23 firms, out of which six firms were earlier involved in supplying of sub-standard drugs".
The Government stated that out of eight items costing Rs. 17.64 lakh, two items costing Rs. 5.08 lakh were of external use and two items costing Rs. 2.36 lakh failed in the standard of uniformity of weight and will have no adverse effect but may require a higher dose.
"Thus, issuing drugs before receipt of analytical reports from DFCO and disregarding the recommendations of PAC resulted in administration of sub-standard drugs costing Rs. 14.14 lakh to patients in the health institutions of Jammu Division, thereby jeopardizing their health". |
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