Centre was on heels of MP scam for long

As early as March 2007, Central officials monitoring the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) during their field visits to Madhya Pradesh observed that the state was purchasing streptomycin (anti-TB drugs) injections when they were already being supplied the same under the programme.

In a strongly-worded letter in August last year, the Union Health and Family Welfare Department warned the MP Government that it would stop supporting the programme if the state continued to buy the drugs. Undeterred, MP officials told the Union department that the state was purchasing streptomycin to treat ailments other than TB.

Even though the drug is not mentioned in the Essential Drug List, Vishnoi claimed that the 1-mg injection—the Centre supplies 0.75-mg injections— was used as a common antibiotic. In effect, the letter gave the Union Ministry nothing to follow up on.

Sources in the Health Department told The Indian Express that the cartel led by then director (medical services) Dr Yogiraj Sharma was so powerful that hospitals across the state were told not to use the medicine only after the Centre’s letter.

Chief medical and health officer of Khandwa wrote to the Bhopal-based directorate as recently as May 6 with a request to take the injections (1 mg) back because he had plenty of 0.75 injections. His counterpart in Nimuch wrote on March 25 asking what he was supposed to do with the 7,025 injections lying with him now that he had been told not to administer them to TB patients.

The Indian Express has copies of both letters, which clarify that the injections were meant for TB patients. Clearly, though there was no demand for them, the injections were supplied only because they were manufactured at a unit owned by an ally of Dr Sharma. The IT raids on the premises of the individuals involved in running the cartel revealed an unaccounted income of more than Rs 100 crore.