Pinarayi slams medicine ‘shortage’ at govt. hospitals; says UDF govt. helping private sector health lobby

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The State government hospitals are experiencing an “unprecedented” and severe shortage of medicines to the point that even life-saving drugs are unavailable in hospitals. This is gross negligence on the part of the government, which is playing with the lives of ordinary people, Mr. Vijayan said.

He said that government hospitals are facing shortages even of paracetamol and IV fluids. Essential medicines, including anti-rabies vaccines, are out of stock. Stocks of 209 categories of medicines and equipment for this financial year have still not reached hospitals. There are acute shortages of antibiotics, cardiac medicines, medicines for acidity, and doxycycline which is used for leptospirosis prevention.

Mr. Vijayan alleged that all government health institutions right from primary health centres were facing the shortage of medicines, especially medicines which are to be consumed regularly for diabetes and hypertension. He pointed to the frequent changes at the helm of Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd. which is responsible for medicine distribution in public sector hospitals and the failure in tendering processes and delays in placing purchase orders for medicines and equipment.

Meanwhile, at a review meeting called by the Health Minister K. Muraleedharan here on Saturday to asess the situation of medicine shortage in hospitals, the General Manager of KMSCL explained with figures that essential medicines, including fever medication and antibiotics, are currently in stock in hospitals. He also clarified that medicines for which purchase orders have already been placed will arrive by this week.

Mr. Muraleedharan directed that the procurement procedures for the next financial year be begun in October itself and that the entire process be completed by the end of December.

He also directed that middlemen be removed from the tender processes and that agencies dealing directly in imported medicines also be allowed to take part in tenders. He also said that KMSCL should procure only those drugs which are procured by at least two State governments

KMSCL must procure medicines at a price lower than that paid by the in-house drug bank at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, which currently offers the cheapest branded medicines in the State. The purchase price of medicines each year must be published on the website.

He said that a comprehensive overhaul is under way at KMSCL to ensure people have access to quality medicines, and that its effects will become visible in the coming days.

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