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New Delhi, Dec 25: LG Delhi has recommended an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the procurement and supply of spurious and non-standard drugs, including some life-saving medicines, in Delhi government hospitals and Mohalla Clinics.
The LG’s recommendation came after around 10% of the drug samples lifted in July from three major Delhi government hospitals and tested at approved drug testing laboratories, failed.
These drugs were procured by the Central Procurement Agency, under the Delhi Government’s Health Department and supplied to various government hospitals.
Meanwhile, Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the medicines are procured under directions from the directorate general of health services and the head of the department is the health secretary, SB Deepak Kumar. Bharadwaj has called for Kumar’s immediate suspension.
The samples were sent to approved government and private labs for testing. The reports of the labs were sent by the drug controller and the health department for further action to the Directorate of Vigilance in November.
The DoV, based on the reports, found that more than 10% of the samples failed and were “not of standard quality”.
LG office said that according to the vigilance department, three of the 43 samples sent to government labs failed the test while 12 reports were still pending, adding that another five from a different batch of 43 samples also failed.
The report of 11 samples was still pending with the government lab of Chandigarh. The development triggered the latest flashpoint between the Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Delhi government and the Centre-ruled Bharatiya Janata Party which appoints the lieutenant governor.
Meanwhile, the vigilance department has recommended that since more than 10% of samples have failed, the department should also increase the scope of sampling and immediately stop the distribution of such medicines.
The DoV has also sought to investigate the role of suppliers, other than the CPA, who procured such drugs from the manufacturers and supplied them to the hospitals.
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