Spurious medicines killing patients at government hospitals, growls HDK

Bangalore: Demanding an overhaul of the health department, opposition leader in the assembly H.D. Kum­ar­aswamy has urged the state government to initiate action against officials responsible for supply and distribution of spurious and inferior medicines in government hospitals.

In a letter to Chief M­in­ister Siddaramaiah, Kumaraswamy claimed that some health department officials were involved in a racket in which medicines meant to be distributed in government hospitals, were being sold elsewhere.

Citing the examples of sub-standard and spurious medicines being supplied in government hospitals, he alleged that a medicine named Polyfol Forte, manufactured by a company called Quest Laboratories Pvt Ltd, had failed 21 times in quality tests.

However, this medicine was being supplied to government hospitals and distributed among pregnant women. Glinbenclamide Tablets IP-5mg, Buserelin Acetate Injection provided by a German company and Papapic-250 manufactured by an Indore based company were among over 20 such medicines being supplied to government hospitals.

“There are many instances where patients administered anesthesia in government hospitals, have died of an overdose. Even spurious drugs could be the reason for such deaths. Many health department officials are involved in this racket, the government should moot a detailed investigation into the problem which is harming the health of poor people,” Kum­aras­wa­my stated.

He charged that medicines, which were meant to be distributed to the poor free of cost were being sold in medical shops. Though insulin was being supplied to government hospitals, it is not available for poor patients who are asked to purchase them from the open market.

Health Department officials are involved in this racket too, Kum­araswamy said. Stating that the Health De­partment was affected by the large number of va­cancies, Ku­ma­raswamy urged the chief mi­nister to initiate steps to fill the vacancies.