Karnataka govt floats Rs 880 crore tender for 890 drugs

Bengaluru: The state government has invited tenders worth Rs 880.68 crore to supply 890 medicines, chemicals, and consumables to all primary healthcare centres, city health centres, and district and taluk hospitals for 2025-26.

The department has instructed officials to assess needs, float tenders as required, and plan delivery schedules to ensure adequate shelf life for procured drugs. All accounts with previous societies must be closed.

The government has directed the department to request additional funds from this year’s allocation once the current balance of Rs 619 crore drops to about Rs 200 crore.

To attract more bidders, the department will customise tender conditions and mandate quality testing before drugs reach hospitals.

Of the 890 drugs, 539 are essential and 351 are desirable. The list includes 568 existing and 322 new drugs, aligned with the Indian Public Health Standards and the National List of Essential Medicines.