NEW DELHI: A day after L-G VK Saxena recommended a CBI inquiry into the procurement and supply of spurious drugs in Delhi government hospitals and Mohalla clinics, the city government’s vigilance wing asked the Health Department to withdraw all “non-standard quality drugs” and stop payment to suppliers of these medicines. The department has been told to submit an action taken report in 48 hours.
Later, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj directed the Principal Secretary (Health) to make alternative arrangements, in place of ‘substandard drugs’ so that the people are not inconvenienced.
“You are requested to ensure that all such drugs which have failed the prescribed norms should be immediately quantified and seized as per due process of law on a war footing. Secondly, you are requested to ensure that no further payment is made to such companies and all the failed drugs may be immediately identified and removed from the stock of all hospitals where such drugs have been supplied,” the Vigilance Department said in a communiqué to the Secretary of Health.
The department also wants to know how much payment has been made to these firms. “You are requested to take possession of all documents and provide the original copy to the Directorate of Vigilance by December 26.”