Delhi govt hospitals drugs quality row: Vigilance dept seeks clarification

The Delhi Special Vigilance Department on Sunday wrote to the health secretary over the "Not of Standard Quality" drugs being supplied in Delhi government hospitals and urged to clarify as to how much payment is made till now to companies and manufacturers.

"You are requested to ensure that all such drugs which have failed the prescribed norms should be immediately qualified and seized as per the due process of law on a war footing," read the letter.

"Secondly, you are requested to ensure the followings; 1. That no further payment is made to such companies. 2. That all the failed drugs may be immediately identified and should be removed from the stock of all the hospitals where such drugs have been supplied so as to ensure that the general public are not administered with such 'Not of Standard Quality Drugs' 3. May also clarify since when these drugs are being procured and supplied," it added.

The letter further read, "It is also requested to clarify as to how much payment is made till now to these companies and manufacturers and how much payment payment is pending. Besides this, you are requested to take possession of all the documents related to the procurement of drugs inter-alia including tender documents and files relating to the same immediately and provide the original copy of the same to the directorate of vigilance."

"You are also requested to provide terms and conditions of the appointment of dealers/distributers for the execution of supply in respect of above-failed drugs. Action taken report may kindly be submitted in next 48 hour," it added.

Earlier on Saturday, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI inquiry into "Not of Standard Quality" drugs being supplied in Delhi government hospitals.

"I am, to say the least, anguished at the fact that lakhs of hapless people and patients are being supplied fake drugs that have failed quality standard tests," the L-G said in a letter to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar directing him for the investigation.

"These drugs, procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under Delhi Health Service (DHS) were supplied to Delhi Government Hospitals and may also have been supplied to the Mohalla Clinics.... these have failed and are categorized as Not of Standard Quality," the LG said in the letter.

Needless to say, these drugs procured by spending huge budgetary resources are a grave threat to public health and safety and have the potential to endanger the lives of people, the letter said.

"Since the matter of Mohalla Clinics is already entrusted to CBI, this case, which may, inter alia, also involve supply of these failed 'Not of Standard Quality' drugs to such clinics, may also be entrusted to the Central Agency, especially in light of the fact that the investigation therein involves multi inter-state stakeholders including CPA- DHS, GNCTD, suppliers or dealers, manufacturers in other states and other state agencies, the actions taken thereon should be conveyed to all concerned within 7 days," the letter said.

In its report, Special Secretary Vigilance recommended that "since more than 10% samples have failed, we may advise the department to increase the scope of sampling in respect of drugs in terms of volume and value across all the hospitals."

"The department may also parallelly process the matter for seeking explanation and issue show cause notice to the officials of Directorate General of Health Services, GNCTD for such lapse and to determine their role.