Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged procurement and supply of “fake”, or “non-standard”, medicines in government hospitals of the national capital. At least 10 percent of these drug samples have failed quality standard tests, said Raj Niwas officials on Saturday.
According to the office of the L-G, the CBI probe has been recommended on the basis of a report by the Directorate of Vigilance. There were complaints of substandard medicines being supplied in Delhi government hospitals. Hence, samples were collected and sent for testing, officials said.
The drugs that have failed quality standard tests include Amlodipine, Levetiracetam and Pantoprazole. Their samples were sent to government as well private laboratories. Samples of Cephalexin and Dexamethasone failed testing in private laboratories, while a report on 11 samples being tested at a government laboratory in Chandigarh is awaited. The reports available have concluded that the drugs are “not of standard quality”.
These drugs were procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under the Delhi Health Services (DHS) and supplied to Delhi government hospitals and may also have been supplied to the mohalla clinics. Raj Niwas officials said in a note to chief secretary Naresh Kumar, Saxena stated that it is concerning that these medicines are being given to lakhs of patients.
“It is with a sense of deep concern that I have perused the file. I am, to say the least, anguished at the fact that lakhs of hapless people and patients are being supplied fake drugs that have failed quality standard tests,” he said in his note to Kumar.
He added: “Tested by government as well as private analysts/laboratories as per rules and statutory provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, these have failed and are categorised as ‘not of standard quality’.”
In his note, the L-G further said “these drugs procured by spending huge budgetary resources are a grave threat to public health and safety” and have the “potential of endangering lives of people”. “Prima facie, apart from CPA-DHS, GNCTD, there are suppliers, manufacturers situated in other states and drug controllers in those states associated in this whole exercise,” he said.
Accordingly, he said in the note, as proposed at “Para 35, since the matter of mohalla clinics is already entrusted to the CBI, this case, which may, inter alia, also involve supply of these failed ‘not of standard quality’ drugs to such clinics, may also be entrusted to the central agency, especially in light of the fact that the investigation involves multi interstate stakeholders, including CPA-DHS, GNCTD, suppliers/dealers, manufacturers in other states and other state agencies”.
What the vigilance report said
A report by the vigilance department stated that out of 43 samples sent to government laboratories, three failed and 12 reports are awaited. Out of the other 43 samples sent to private laboratories, five samples failed and 38 were found to be of “substandard quality”.
The vigilance department said since more than 10 percent samples have failed, the scope of sampling should be increased.
What the AAP said
Asked about the matter on the sidelines of a press conference, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai, who is also the AAP’s Delhi convener, told PTI that the government will come out with a detailed response. He also alleged that there is an attempt to obstruct the work of the government through such inquiries.
Responding to queries on the issue, Rai said he had not seen the details of the matter. “The government will give its response after a detailed study. But such a system of sending matters for inquiries to the CBI has become a medium of obstructing work of the government. Officers stop taking decisions on matters. But in this matter, the government will study it,” he told PTI.
Sources in the AAP government said a complaint against a senior health department official was sent to the L-G earlier. “Now, will the L-G take action against this officer? The same official was responsible for stopping the ‘Dilli Ke Farishte’ scheme. We had earlier requested the L-G to remove this official,” a source said.
(With PTI inputs)
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