The state Vigilance Organisation has booked members of the Jammu & Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) for allegedly purchasing spurious drugs and medicines on exorbitant rates without adhering to a proper procedure.
Out of the total 23 lifted samples, three samples were reported to be not of standard quality and failed.
The FIR has been registered against the then Managing Director, JKMSCL, Principal, GMC, Jammu, Senior Consultant, Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, Chief Account Officer of JKMSCL, Consultant (Technical Expert), Technical Expert and the supplier Theon Pharmaceutical Ltd.
According to the Vigilance spokesperson, a joint surprise check was conducted by the Vigilance Organisation into the allegations of purchase of spurious drugs or medicines on exorbitant rates during the year 2015-2016 by the government Health Department, Jammu, without following proper procedure.
During the check, records were obtained and inquires were made on the spot besides samples of various drugs or medicines were lifted from the government health stores and hospitals in Jammu district with the assistance of drug inspectors. The samples of drugs lifted from the hospitals and drug stores of the Health Department were sent to a government analyst of the Combined Drug and Food Laboratory, Jammu.
As many as 23 samples of different drugs were lifted from government hospitals and drug stores and sent to the laboratory for tests. Three samples, namely amoxicillin trihydrate IP 500 mg, sterile ceftriaxone inj IP 1000 mg and sterile ceftriaxone inj IP 500 mg, purchased by the JKMSCL, were reported to be not of standard quality and failed.
It came to the fore that these medicines were supplied by Theon Pharmaceutical Ltd — a Panchkula-based company. The supplies were received in the drug stores of different units of the Health Services in Jammu division and later distributed to the government hospitals and institutions where medicines were issued to patients and most of them consumed.
The total value of the medicines declared sub-standard was Rs 36.27 lakh, which amounts to direct loss to the government exchequer as well as hazard to public health. The value of medicines left unconsumed and seized by the drug control organisation was Rs 1.16 lakh.
The JKMSCL also purchased drugs from Denis Chem Lab Ltd, a Gujarat-based firm which was blacklisted by the Rajasthan government in 2012. Moreover, the purchase committee which approved the instant purchases did not have the mandate to approve the purchase due to lack of quorum.
According to the rules, the attendance of two-third members of the purchase committee is mandatory for decision. In the present case only four members, including the chairman, attended the meeting of the purchase committee. Rest of the officials who attended the meeting were not members of the purchase committee as per the government order. The MD, JKMSCL, in this case also misused his official position and imposed his arbitrary decision of approval of purchase to provide illegal benefit to the suppliers.
Samples fail test
As many as 23 samples of different drugs were lifted from government hospitals and drug stores and sent to the laboratory for tests. Three samples, namely amoxicillin trihydrate IP 500 mg, sterile ceftriaxone inj IP 1000 mg and sterile ceftriaxone inj IP 500 mg, purchased by the Jammu & Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited, were reported to be not of standard quality and failed.
