NEW DELHI:
In a decisive move, the Delhi Legislative Assembly on Friday addressed the pressing issue of medicine shortages and inadequate lab tests plaguing government hospitals, Mohalla Clinics, and dispensaries. With members highlighting the dire consequences faced by the city’s underprivileged due to these shortages, a ‘Sankalp Patra’ (resolution letter) was swiftly presented to tackle the issue head-on. Passed by voice vote, the assembly directed the Chief Secretary to urgently resolve the medicine shortage and lab test deficiencies within a week, signalling a proactive approach towards ensuring healthcare accessibility for all. As the assembly gears up for further discussions on March 22, this bold initiative marks a crucial step towards ensuring health equity in the national capital.
During the discussion on the resolution, Delhi’s Health Minister Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj stated that government hospital medicines are the only means of treatment for the poor. Currently, Delhi’s poor section of people is significantly distressed due to the shortage of medicines and laboratory tests in Mohalla Clinics, hospitals, and dispensaries. The procurement process for medicines is standard. The Central Procurement Agency (CPA) procures and distributes medicines for the Delhi government. Tenders are issued every year for this purpose. To ensure there is no shortage of medicines for people, another tender is issued before the current one expires. This process continues consistently.
“A tender was issued for medicines on December 21, 2022. However, officials continued to conduct technical evaluations of that tender throughout the year. After a year passed, that tender expired. Meanwhile, the current tender is also expiring in March of this year. However, the supply of medicines has not been received. Due to this reason, medicines are running out in hospitals, dispensaries, and Mohalla Clinics of the Delhi government. The central government has deprived the Delhi government of all its powers and given them to the LG. Why action is not being taken against the health secretary, DGHS, and officers of the CPA who are obstructing the supply of medicines? Such officers should be prosecuted under the Criminal Act,” the Delhi Health Minister affirmed.
Minister Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj further added that apart from the CPA, there is another provision for purchasing medicines. The Delhi government can procure medicines at the local level. To stop this process as well, the Health Department issued orders saying that this is not possible. Not only that, but there is also an attempt to stop lab tests. Companies conducting tests in Mohalla Clinics have not been paid for the past year. After March, these companies are not ready to conduct tests. Despite this, no tender has been issued yet for the tests.
During this, MLA Shri Madan Lal said that this problem has been ongoing for the past year. There is no medicine available for common illnesses in Mohalla Clinics and hospitals. The Delhi government spends 14% of its budget on the health sector. Despite this, essential medicines are not available. The officers responsible for this should be held accountable.
MLA Shri Rituraj Govind said that the Mohalla Clinics are a plan of the Kejriwal government, where even the poorest people come for treatment. Those who cannot afford expensive treatment in private hospitals get their medicines here. But as soon as elections approach, there is an attempt to stop everything, including medicines, under dirty politics, which harms the poor.
In the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Chief Whip and MLA Shri Dilip Pandey presented a resolution. In the resolution, he said that the House expresses serious concern that various Mohalla Clinics, dispensaries, and hospitals of the Delhi government are facing a severe shortage of essential free medicines, medical supplies, and free laboratory tests. The poor people of Delhi are entirely dependent on government Mohalla Clinics, dispensaries, and hospitals because they cannot afford expensive treatment in private hospitals. It is a matter of great concern that the shortage of free medicines and the absence of laboratory tests are adversely affecting the health of the poor people. This jeopardizes people’s lives. The fear of an outbreak looms large in the city, which has just emerged from a pandemic.
Main points of the resolution are the following:
- The immediate resolution of the issues of shortages of medicines/other supplies, laboratory tests, and other facilities in Delhi government’s Mohalla Clinics, hospitals, and dispensaries on war footing.
- The Chief Secretary of the Delhi government will be fully responsible for eliminating the above shortcomings.
- The Chief Secretary will address these deficiencies within one week and present a daily report to the Health Minister of the Delhi government.
- Regarding this matter, a meeting of the Delhi Legislative Assembly will be convened on Friday, that is, on March 22, 2024, at 11 am, where the Chief Secretary will personally present a detailed report on this matter through the Health Minister.
