Faced with criticism over the lack of availability of medicines in Nanded's government medical college in the wake of deaths of 41 patients, including newborns, the Maharashtra government on Thursday extended powers to the local authority to use 100% funds from district planning development committee (DPDC) reserved for buying medicines. A delay in implementing the recently passed Medical Goods Procurement Authority Act and the resultant change in procurement rules are to blame for the medicine shortage across government hospitals in the state. The government decision comes even as the government and hospital administration continue to deny there was shortage of medicine, and that it was the cause of death of patients in Nanded hospital between October 1 and 2. The current limit for medicine procurement by the Dean of Government Medical College and Hospitals (GMCH) is capped at Rs 10 lakh. As a result of the decision, they will now have the option to utilise the DPDC (district planning and development committee) fund, designated for district development, providing deans with increased flexibility to acquire additional medicines during shortages from Haffkine or the newly established medicine procurement cell. This funding allows deans to procure medicines locally. In 2022, when districts faced similar drug shortages, the previous government had issued a similar circular to expand the medicine procurement budget at the district level. In March this year, Maharashtra enacted the Medical Goods Procurement Authority Act with the aim to establish an authority for single-point procurement and supply of certain medicines, medical goods, medical consumables, devices, equipment and more for public hospitals and medical colleges. The authority was expected to do away with alleged delays in procurement of medicines by state-run Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd. So far, all state government departments providing medical services have had to purchase medicines, medical equipment and other related items from Haffkine. Deaths of over 41 patients at Nanded’s Shankararao Chavan government medical college however exposed the delay in getting the authority rolling. The authority’s executive committee on October 3, in a meeting, gave the go ahead for use of 100% funds from DPDC for medicines. Earlier in the day, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde held a video-conference with all district collectors to review the condition of government hospitals wherein all collectors were directed to pay routine visits to government hospitals. “The state government is preparing short and long term plans to strengthen the state’s health system. Money will not be an issue for this,” he said. Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday visited Governor Ramesh Bains along with the Congress delegation. The delegation demanded an inquiry committee under the retired justice. NCP’s Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule on a visit to Nanded, slammed the state government. She said if the ruling party leaders can visit Delhi seeking guardian ministership, why could they not come to Nanded to meet families of the deceased. “This government has murdered common people,” she slammed.
