New Delhi, April 8, 2024;
The issue of medicine shortage in Delhi’s government hospitals and Mohalla clinics was raised in Delhi’s Legislative Assembly today. Delhi’s Health Minister Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj stated that nearly two months ago, towards the end of January, reports started emerging from Delhi’s hospitals indicating a shortage of medicines, with all check-ups halted in Mohalla clinics. He mentioned that he had discussed this matter several times within the department, he has even had numerous discussions with the Health Secretary. Written directives were also issued multiple times. However, due to the lack of concrete action, on February 12, 2024, he had to issue written directives to the Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar. Saurabh stated, “I asked him in writing whether there is indeed a shortage of medicines in Delhi’s hospitals, and if so, what is your plan to rectify it? If all the check-ups been suspended in Mohalla clinics, what is your plan to resume them, along with a timeline? No satisfactory response was received from the Chief Secretary.”
Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj stated, “Due to the lack of a satisfactory response, I once again issued written directives to the Chief Secretary on March 4 to provide all this information. Despite this, no response was received from them. Therefore, on March 18, I issued written directives to them again, urging prompt and strict action on this matter. I emphasized on the seriousness of the issue and being a representative of the people,
Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj said that considering the seriousness of the issue, a public representative from Seemapuri constituency, MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam, raised a discussion under Rule 54 on this matter, which took place today in the Legislative Assembly. The minister said that he had provided a written information to the Chief Secretary that there is a discussion under Rule 54 on April 8 in the House regarding the current situation in Delhi’s hospitals and he should be present there, but it is unfortunate that despite my instructions, he is not present in the House today, added Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj.
The minister further said that a deliberate conspiracy is being hatched to create a shortage of medicines in Delhi’s hospitals, dispensaries, and Mohalla clinics. He mentioned that medicines are supplied to Delhi’s hospitals and neighbourhood clinics through the Central Procurement Agency (CPA). “Tenders are issued by the CPA to supply medicines to hospitals, and it would surprise everyone to know that the tender issued by the CPA in 2023 was not finalized for a year, despite companies bidding for it. The tender was deliberately withheld for a year. In this situation, the one-year term of that tender expired, and now in March, the tender has been issued again. He mentioned that everyone knows well that if the tender by the CPA is not finalized, medicines will not be available in hospitals.”
Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj said that if medicines are not available through the CPA, another method for procurement is local purchase. He mentioned that on March 1, he convened a meeting of all MS and MDs of hospitals, followed by a second meeting on March 11. He said that hospital officials attending the meeting informed that the Health Department has issued some circulars, because of which hospitals are unable to purchase medicines through local purchase or local rate contract. There is a severe shortage of medicines in all the hospitals. All these facts indicate that a deliberate conspiracy is being hatched to create an emergency like situation in Delhi’s hospital, he stated.
The Health Minister further stated that in Delhi and neighbouring states, there are millions of poor people who rely solely on government hospitals, dispensaries, and Mohalla clinics for their treatment and medicines. He questioned what would happen to these people if hospitals and dispensaries ran out of medicines. He emphasized that there are millions of people who are the breadwinners for their families, suffering from serious illnesses, and dependent on the medicines available in Delhi government hospitals and neighbourhood clinics. He then warned that if anyone dies due to a shortage of medicines in Delhi, he will file a case against the Chief Secretary and Health Secretary for it.
Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj stated that on March 27, he held another meeting with the Chief Secretary and the Health Secretary in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, where he was informed by them that there is no shortage of medicines in Delhi hospitals. He mentioned that he had written a letter to the Lieutenant Governor stating that the Chief Secretary and the Health Secretary are trying to mislead him and the Delhi government by claiming that there is no shortage of medicines in Delhi hospitals, despite continuous complaints indicating otherwise. He expressed suspicion that the Chief Secretary and the Health Secretary are acting with the consent and support of the Lieutenant Governor.
Saurabh Bharadwaj added that today in the assembly, Shri Sanjeev Jha from Burari and Mahendra Goyal from Rithala presented prescriptions of patients from hospitals located in their respective areas, clearly demonstrating that there is a severe shortage of medicines in hospitals. He mentioned that since March 27, when the Chief Secretary informed him that all medicines are available, he has requested the Lieutenant Governor to investigate and take strict action against them. Now, doctors in hospitals are being instructed not to write the unavailable medicines on prescriptions, so that the shortage does not become evident.
Additionally, Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj pointed out discrepancies in the prescriptions of patients who visited Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital, and GB Pant Hospital today, clearly indicating that these patients did not receive all the prescribed medicines. Then on what basis the Chief Secretary and the Health Secretary are claiming that there is no shortage of medicines in Delhi government hospitals.
Referring to a news article in the Indian Express newspaper, Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj stated that several hospitals were mentioned where a shortage of medicines was reported. He criticized the autocratic approach of instructing the Health Secretary to issue a notice to the Indian Express instead of making provision of medicines and other essential items in these and all other hospitals in Delhi. Instead of addressing the arrangements, the Chief Secretary instructed the Health Secretary to issue a notice to the Indian Express newspaper regarding this matter. The Indian Express in its story had claimed to have visited the three hospitals under the Delhi government where they found a severe shortage of medicines. Rather than improving the arrangements based on this, the Chief Secretary is instructing the Health Secretary to issue a notice to the Indian Express newspaper.
The Health Minister of Delhi also showed the prescriptions of the patients from some hospitals today in the House, along with the prescriptions brought by legislators Sanjeev Jha, Mahendra Goyal, and Rakhi Birla from the hospitals in their respective areas, which clearly showed a shortage of medicines in the hospitals. He appealed to the Chief Secretary to issue notices against him and all the legislators (who produced the prescriptions showing shortage of medicines) as well.
