Karnataka panel to probe drugs purchase at high rates at CIMS

Belagavi: Admitting that tenders were awarded to procure life-saving drugs at exorbitant prices at Chikkamagaluru Institute of Medical Sciences Institute, Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil on Thursday told the Council that an inquiry by an expert committee will be conducted and it will also be instructed to verify the prices of medicines being procured in all government medical institutes in the state.

In reply to a calling attention motion by BJP MLCs C T Ravi, Bharati Shetty and others, Patil stated that difference was found in the prices of medicines purchased by the Chikkamagaluru institute, compared to those in Kodagu, Haveri and Raichur, after a complaint in this regard was received.

“Tender was awarded to purchase 416 types of medicines from six agencies at a cost of Rs 4.90 crore for 2025-26. Now, supply of medicines worth Rs 4.53 crore is withheld, while the supply of essential life-saving drugs worth Rs 36.28 lakh is received,” he said.

Ravi said, “Such irregularity might have taken place in other medical institutes also.”

The minister also opined that supply of medicines to the institutes may get disrupted if a centralised tender for the entire state was awarded and if there was some delay.

Therefore, autonomous institutes are given the freedom to call tenders for medicines they require, he said, adding that the expert
committee will also be asked to suggest the ceiling for prices of medicines to be procured.