While the municipal corporations claim to provide several forms of health services, around 97 per cent of the fund meant for buying medicine for ayurvedic, homeopathic and the unani dispensaries of the North Corporation lapsed during 2012-13 financial year as the civic body failed to procure medicine.
In effect, medicines were not available at the dispensaries throughout the year.
The civic body had made a provision of around Rs 8.5 crore to procure ayurvedic, homeopathic and the unani medicines in its last year’s budget.
However, around 97 per cent of the fund lapsed as its health department could procure medicines worth only Rs 23.79 lakh during the whole financial year.
“Providing health services to the residents is one of the primary responsibilities of the civic body. However, the corporation has failed in its duty. While they failed to procure medicine for the dispensaries, they are making plans to open a medical college,” said leader of opposition in North Corporation, Mukesh Goel.
“While the dispensaries functioned without medicines for one year, the corporation spent around Rs 6.5 crore on the salary of doctors and other staff,” Goel added.
While the officers conceded that the medicine fund of last financial year has lapsed, they said the mistake will not be repeated this year.
“There was some confusion due to trifurcation. Now we are changing the procurement procedure. In fact, we have cleared files to that effect on Thursday itself. There would be no complaint regarding availability of medicine this year,” said additional commissioner, Mayank Sharma.
While the dispensaries are running short of medicine, the number of doctors available in the dispensaries is also worrying.
“At least 21 posts of ayurvedic doctors are vacant. Out of 17 unani dispensaries, seven do not have a single doctor.
Similarly, 14 out of 25 posts for homeopathic doctors are vacant in the civic body. That speaks volumes about the health services being provided,” said Goel.
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