State GMCHs are on saline, running with dues of drugs companies


By Vikas Vaidya

Maharashtra Government’s bid to ensure transparency in procurement of medicines for its hospitals is unable to finalise the modalities leaving the patients in a lurch across the State. Now Government Medical College and Hospitals (GMCH) literally running on saline with little medicines in its kitty. To add to their woes, they borrowed the drugs from medicine companies and the dues have reached in crores.
With hospitals running out of medicine stock, the patients are being asked to procure medicines from open market which is a herculean task for the masses. Government might have taken a just stand to weed out irregularities in bulk purchase of drugs but its own internal contradictions is playing out resulting in creating a mega mess.
Post controversy over procurements of medicines, Government had named a committee headed by former Director General of Police (DGP) Praveen Dixit to work out the new norms. Dixit got to bottom of the entire matter and ensured that every purchase was justified. But Government disbanded the Dixit-led committee.
By issuing Government Resolution (GR) in August 2017 Government asked Haffkine Institute to carry out the bulk purchases of medicines required for the public hospitals in the State and it instructed all the GMCHs not to purchase medicines or surgical items on their own. The total budget of the medicines of all 16 GMCs of State is above Rs 130 crore. With the August GR the drug purchase of all GMCHs came to halt.
As the money for purchasing the medicines was not handed over to Haffkine Institute, considering the patients’ needs, GMCHs had to borrow medicines from the companies. The dues of drug companies mounted in the range between Rs 1.5 crore to 7 crore on various medical colleges. Meanwhile while talking to The Hitavada, Sanjay Deshmukh, Secretary of Medical Education said, “Orders for grant release Rs 95 crore have been issued to all institutions with instructions that 50 per cent would be spent for new purchase of medicines meant for Haffkine Institute and 50 per cent for the pending bills. Another Rs 40 crore also released.”
This amount what the official talked is too meagre. For example, a GMC in Western Maharashtra running with the dues of Rs 1.5 crore of medicine companies. It got Rs 2 crore from the Rs 135 crore of a total release. If it pays Rs 1.5 crore of the dues it will have only Rs 50 lakh which is too insufficient. If the arrangement is not made within a month, any kind of situation takes place, says one former Dean.

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