‘Substandard drugs were given to patients’
Srinagar, June 29: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today said that the Comptroller and Audit General (CAG) of India’s report vindicated our stand that substandard drugs were used in the health institutions of JK.
President DAK Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement said the report validates our stand that substandard drugs were given to patients in hospitals. According to CAG report 50.95 lakh substandard tablets, capsules and injections had been administered to patients.
The report says none of the hospitals were checking the potency of drugs and they were ignoring the reports of drug tests. “It is official now that substandard drugs were supplied to JK hospitals in connivance with health officials”. “That was what we have been saying”.
DAK unearthed spurious drug scandal in 2013 when in a shocking revelation 2.65 lakh tablets of a fake drug “maximizin” were issued by various government hospitals to patients, out of which 2.3 lakh tablets were consumed. It was revealed how analytic report of this drug was brushed under the carpet and the drug continued its use in hospitals even after it was declared fake.
Despite documentary evidence against some powerful and mighty, they are roaming free. It is ironical that health officials, against whom cases are pending in courts, have been given plump posts.
There was a deep-rooted nexus between drug mafia and health officials that pumped huge quantities of spurious drugs in the state. While in 2007 head of China’s drug administration was hanged for his involvement in substandard drugs, but in JK perpetrators were let off and promoted.
CAG report also says that hospital equipments worth crores had been procured by health institutions by issuing fake and forged supply orders. There were ample evidences against health officials for their involvement in purchase scams, but they enjoy impunity.
Some elements are shielding the wrongdoings of those involved and this conspiracy of covering up has introduced criminality into medicine. Medical corruption is the most serious offence as it entails crime against humanity.
The menace of medical corruption has undermined the trust of patients in doctors and the health care delivery system.
