Directed audit, secy didn’t act: Bharadwaj on substandard drugs in Delhi clinics

The minister said that the LG has “conveniently omitted” an inquiry into the list of consumables also found to be of sub-par quality

Health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday said that he had flagged the issue of supply of sub-standard medicines to Delhi government hospitals and asked the lieutenant governor to suspend the health secretary and take action against directorate general of health services (DGHS), but no action was taken against the two officials.

Delhi health minister Saruabh Bharadwaj. (HT)

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday soon after the LG VK Saxena ordered a CBI probe into the alleged supply of sub-standard drugs, Bharadwaj said that the inquiry was ordered selectively, omitting action against “sub-standard consumables” that were purchased from the central government portals.”

Bharadwaj said that of the 43 samples of drugs and consumables tested from Delhi government hospitals between July and August, five were found to have not met the standards. He, however, alleged that while the LG has ordered an inquiry into the sub-standard drugs, he has “conveniently omitted” an inquiry into the list of consumables, also found to be of sub-par quality.

READ | LG orders CBI probe in ‘sub standard’ drugs at Delhi hospitals, clinics

“Why hasn’t he called an inquiry into low quality consumables, including bandage, cotton etc? This was done because these were purchased from the central government portal — Government E-Marketplace. They must have thought that an inquiry will put the onus on the Centre,” Bharadwaj said.

Meanwhile, officials from the LG office said that Bhardwaj was “blatantly trying to deflect from the misdeeds and corruption” of the health department by making false statements.

“The consumables are procured by CPA, GNCTD and individual hospitals of GNCTD, through the GeM portal,” the officials added.

Bharadwaj also raised the matter of the amended GNCTD Act handing over the control of bureaucracy in Delhi from the elected government to the Centre-appointed LG — an ongoing sticking point between the AAP government in Delhi and the BJP-led central government.

“The central government has snatched all powers from Delhi’s elected government. I had written to the LG on October 23, naming the officers responsible, and recommending their suspension but till now no action has been taken,” he said.

To be sure, this is not the first instance when the health department has demanded action against the health secretary and DGHS. The Delhi government, in its petition before the Supreme Court earlier this month, also named SB Deepak Kumar and Nutan Mundeja for holding up pending payments under the government’s ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme.