Deans of local hosps to procure 40% quota

Deans of 25 medical colleges have been empowered to procure 40% of the drugs required, without waiting for the state to release the quota from its pool. Until now, they could purchase 30% of drugs, upped from the previous 10%, in December 2022

Mumbai: After facing flak for 38 deaths in Nanded’s Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital, in two days, driven by shortage of manpower and emergency drugs, the state government has decided to empower the district hospitals to cap the shortfall. During a review meeting on Thursday, chief minister Eknath Shinde directed the district collectors to examine the workings of the government hospitals, while the medical education department issued an order to local hospitals to get emergency medicines.

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Deans of 25 medical colleges have been empowered to procure 40% of the drugs required, without waiting for the state to release the quota from its pool. Until now, they could purchase 30% of drugs, upped from the previous 10%, in December 2022. The remaining stash is expected to be obtained by Maharashtra Medicine Procurement Authority (MMPA), constituted six months ago. Earlier, Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Limited was responsible for this task. This recent change of hands has largely affected the procurement as MMPA failed to get the medical consumables -- worth ₹850 crore -- despite demands raised by hospitals.

The MMPA was formed in April this year along the lines of a similar panel in Tamil Nadu. Five months on, it still lacks proper manpower and a full-time IAS officer as a head. Of the 70 personnel mandated, only 20 have been appointed. Currently, Dheeraj Kumar, commissioner, national rural health mission is running it as an additional charge. The panel could not finalise the rate card for the procurement, and now has decided to follow ESIC rate card.

“We raised the demand of for medicines worth ₹72 crore in May, but received no response from the body. At the same time, the Nanded hospital also failed to utilise the funds permitted to the dean. He was expected to utilise ₹1.55 crore, but he procured stock worth only ₹ 63 lakh. They can now acquire 40% of the total budget for their respective hospitals,” said an official from the medical education department.

The deans and the heads of the district level hospitals have also been allowed to utilise the fund allocated from district planning committee (DPC), local area development fund by MLAs and corporate social responsibility funds. “This was done during the pandemic. The order has been extended and the district administrations have been directed to utilise these funds effectively,” said the officer.

Under fire after criticism from the opposition for not visiting the hospital since the deaths were reported, the CM has directed district collectors to visit government hospitals, while reviewing the health services from New Delhi. “We have ordered probe into the Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar hospitals; those responsible will face action. The district collectors should ensure there is no paucity of emergency drugs. The state government is chalking out short-term and long-term plans for the augmentation of the health infrastructure,” he said.

Dinesh Waghmare, additional chief secretary, medical education department said, “The MMPA was facing some teething problems which affected the procurement. It is being streamlined now. Overall, more than 80% of posts of doctors are filled, we will recruit 5200 nurses very soon and ensure there is no paucity of drugs in government hospitals.”