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

The drug samples were lifted by the drug controller on July 25 from two hospitals after allegations that several frequently-used medicines were ineffective

Lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena has recommended an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the procurement and supply of spurious and non-standard drugs, including some life-saving medicines, in Delhi government hospitals and Mohalla Clinics, the LG office said on Saturday.

The LG’s recommendation came after around 10% of the drug samples lifted in July from three major Delhi government hospitals and tested at approved drug testing laboratories, failed. (ANI)

The LG’s recommendation came after around 10% of the drug samples lifted in July from three major Delhi government hospitals and tested at approved drug testing laboratories, failed. These drugs were procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA), under the Delhi government’s health department and supplied to various government hospitals.

Saxena, in a note, has directed chief secretary Naresh Kumar to take action in the matter. “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. These drugs procured by spending huge budgetary resources are a grave threat to public health and safety and have the potential of endangering lives of people. Prima facie, apart from CPA-DHS, GNCTD there are suppliers, manufacturers situated in other states and Drug Controllers in those states associated in this whole exercise,” the note said.

“Accordingly, 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/dealers, manufacturers in other states and other state agencies,” it added.

Meanwhile, Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the medicines are procured under directions from the directorate general of health services and the head of the department is the health secretary, SB Deepak Kumar. Bharadwaj has called for Kumar’s immediate suspension.

“The health secretary does not obey written or verbal orders. The officers (of the Delhi government) are not accountable to the ministers and the elected government. I became a minister on March 9, 2023, and ordered an audit of medicines on March 21, 2023. I reminded and wrote to the health secretary in July seeking a reply but no action was taken,” said Bharadwaj.

He also alleged that samples of consumables were also found to be “not of standard quality” but no inquiry has been ordered into that by the LG. “I came to know that samples of consumables and medicines were lifted. Some samples of the consumables were also not found of standard quality. No CBI inquiry has been ordered into the quality of consumables because the consumables were purchased from the central government’s GEM (government-e-market),” Bharadwaj said.

HT REACHED OUT TO SB DEEPAK KUMAR

The drug samples were lifted by the drug controller on July 25 from the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Lok Nayak, and Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospitals which cater to millions of patients, after allegations that several frequently-used medicines, procured from government hospitals were ineffective on patients. The samples were sent to approved government and private labs for testing.

The reports of the labs were sent by the drug controller and the health department for further action to the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV) in November. The DoV, based on the reports, found that more than 10% of the samples failed and were “not of standard quality”.

LG office said that according to the vigilance department, three of the 43 samples sent to government labs failed the test while 12 reports were still pending, adding that another five from a different batch of 43 samples also failed.

“The spurious and non-standard drugs... include critical life-saving antibiotics used for treatment of lungs and UT infections —cephalexin, steroid for curing life-threatening inflammation in lungs, joints and swelling in the body — dexamethasone, anti-epilepsy, and anti-anxiety psychiatric drug — levetiracetam and anti-hypertension drug amlodepin,” the LG office said.

Drugs such as amlodipine, levetiracetam, and pantoprazole failed in both government as well as private labs. Further, cephalexin and dexamethasone failed in private labs. The report of 11 samples was still pending with the government lab of Chandigarh.

The development triggered the latest flashpoint between the Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Delhi government and the Centre-ruled Bharatiya Janata Party which appoints the lieutenant governor. To be sure, the two parties have been at loggerheads for many months and charges have been flying from both ends.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva in a press conference accused chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and health minister Saurabh Bhardwaj of “playing with the health of the people of Delhi”.

“Due to the corruption, the government has compromised the quality of drugs used to treat the sick. It is posing a great danger to the lives of thousands of people who take medicines from Delhi government hospitals,” said Sachdeva.

Meanwhile, the vigilance department has recommended that since more than 10% of samples have failed, the department should also increase the scope of sampling and immediately stop the distribution of such medicines. The DoV has also sought to investigate the role of suppliers, other than the CPA, who procured such drugs from the manufacturers and supplied them to the hospitals.

“There is a need to lift the corporate veil to understand the gravity and motive,” the DoV said while also suggesting to blacklist these companies/dealers.

A Delhi government official said: “The government has already complained about this officer (health secretary), who also stopped the Farishtey scheme. Delhi government has already gone to the Supreme Court against this officer. Will LG take immediate action against health secretary SB Deepak Kumar?”