State-run hospitals reel under acute drug crunch

PUNE: From simple cough medicines, saline drips to antidotes, sedatives and surgical blades, the state-run healthcare units across Maharashtra are grappling with unprecedented shortage.

The crisis has been on since August, but it has been pinching the doctors and patients since the beginning of this month.

A complicated tendering process, combined with officials scared of consequences if the tendering goes wrong, have caused an inordinate delay in drug purchase.

The state government purchases drugs centrally by inviting tenders and then distributes them among district hospitals, which in turn distribute them to rural and sub-district hospitals and primary health centres.

The process of inviting tenders usually begins in April and the approval is given to the competitive bidders after a thorough scrutiny by July. The procured drugs are distributed to hospitals as per requirement. "The tendering process should have started much earlier, but it began only this month," said a medical officer from a district hospital in Pune.

Another medical officer with Aundh Civil Hospital said, "There has been an acute shortage of commonly used drugs like anti-histamines, which are used in treating allergies, anti-diarrhoeal, sedatives, fluid replenishment drugs used in treating dengue and chikungunya, anti-fungal, drugs needed in treating urinary tract infection which is extremely common, various other drugs used in the treatment of diabetes and simple disinfectants as well. All public hospitals are feeling the heat."

B D Pawar, deputy director (procurement) at directorate of health services, said, "Some technical issues delayed the tendering process. The supply will be streamlined in the next 15 days."

Pawar said public healthcare units had been told to make local purchase of drugs in shortage to avoid inconvenience to patients.

The administrations at district hospitals, however, are not willing to make local purchases. "Some of the top officials burnt their hands and even had to face suspension over alleged irregularities in drug purchase recently. This has fostered a feeling of insecurity. They are not willing to purchase drugs locally fearing they may have to face criticism even if their purchase rate is slightly above tendered rates. The volume of central purchase of drug is always far more. When we purchase the drugs locally, the rate has to be higher as the volume is less," said a medical officer of the district hospital in Kolhapur.

State health minister Deepak Sawant could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.