MYSURU: Officials of Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd (KSMSCL) here have been allegedly hoarding huge quantities of essential medical supplies, particularly gloves, while misleading government hospitals into believing that they are in short supply.
According to sources, officials, including a senior pharmacist of KSMSCL, withhold critical medical supplies and stock them in the warehouse, but make new indents for purchase. They allegedly dispose of the withheld stocks through their agents and pocket huge sums of money.
A highly placed source told TNIE that these officials show ‘no stock’ or ‘less stock’ of gloves in the ‘drug-wise stock on hand’ list. But in reality, these stocks are kept in the warehouse even as government hospitals grapple with a shortage of supplies.
“Government hospitals are misled into believing that gloves are in short supply, directly affecting frontline healthcare workers who have been tirelessly serving the public. The drug stock lists are manipulated to cover up this unethical practice and divert the supplies,” said a source.
Access to Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd records revealed 19 boxes of surgical gloves (NA 6.5) for May and June in the stock list for delivery, while more than 90 such boxes of gloves were hidden in the warehouse.
When TNIE tried to contact the official in-charge of the warehouse and other senior officials at the office of KSMSCL in Jayalakshmipuram here, they were ‘not reachable’.
Wrote to MD, but no action taken: Employee
“This is not just the case of gloves. Many essential medicines and other supplies are diverted or hoarded and fake documents are created to manipulate inventory levels. We wrote several letters to the managing
director in this regard a few months ago. But no action has been taken so far,” said an employee of Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd.
The source said apart from these irregularities, many officials would go on ‘long leave’ and sign the attendance register once they return. Some even claim fuel expenses for supplying medicines to government hospitals by producing fake bills.