PHC deaths: Doctors association seeks high-level probe

Banned, poor quality drugs being supplied to Kodagu

Addressing a press meet here on Tuesday, Association President Dr H N Ravindra said that the death of three persons allegedly due to the administration of spurious drug must have been caused due to the supply of poor quality of drugs. The death of poor patients should teach a lesson to the State government. A high-level probe should be conducted and the culprits must be punished.

He said that the government has been supplying needle-less syringes to Kodagu district. As the needles for syringes are supplied separately, there are possibilities of patients developing septic owing to its poor quality. It is surprising that nobody complained to the authorities on the supply of needle-less syringes to Kodagu for the last one year.
A banned drug and a pain killer Nimesulide, folicacide given for pregnant woman, roxithromycin supplied to the district are of poor quality. The poor quality of medicines will have side effect on the health of the people. In this background, by supplying poor quality of medicines to the government hospitals, the government is playing with the lives of the poor people, he alleged.

He said “a company which had supplied poor quality of drugs to the government hospitals in Kodagu in 2008 had written a letter to the DHO on July, 2010 stating that poor quality of drugs are being supplied to Kodagu and had requested the authorities concerned not to use the drugs supplied. Similarly, another company which had supplied drugs to the district in August 2009 had written a letter to the DHO in May 2010 stating that the supplied drugs were of poor quality.”

Ravindra said the government is spending Rs 600 to Rs 700 crore every year for the purchase of drugs. However, owing to the political pressure and drug mafia, the government is supplying poor quality drugs that are available at cheaper rate in the market.”

A KAS officer has been given the charge of supply of drugs for the government hospitals. However, the officer does not have knowledge on the quality of drugs.
ack of knowledge on quality of drugs will also lead to supply of poor quality of drugs.
The government should take the death of three persons in government hospitals seriously. Stringent action should be initiated against those who are responsible for the death of poor patients, he urged.
DH News Service