Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 5: The Government said today that it has placed under suspension the Controller Drug Stores Kashmir and constituted a three members committee to hold an inquiry into the supply of spurious drugs in the Government hospitals in the Kashmir Valley.
Making a statement in the Assembly on the directions of Speaker Mubarak Gul following concern expressed by the MLAs for the last two days over supply of spurious drugs, Minister for Health Shabir Khan said entire payment to the tune of Rs 8.56 lakh of the firm-M/s Life Line Pharamaco Surgical, Dream City, Muthi, Jammu has been withheld.
“The process had been initiated to blacklist the firm and cancel its drug license,” he said.
Mr Khan said a three members committee comprising Special Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Financial Advisor, Health and Medical Education Department and Controller Drug and Food Organisation has been constituted to investigate the matter pertaining to supply of sub standard drugs. The suspended Drug Controller has been attached in the office of Director Health Services.
He added that the Committee has been asked to submit its report within 15 days to initiate further action against the firm.
Preliminary investigations revealed that rate contract for supplying the drug (Maximizin 625) had been approved in the name of M/s Life Line Pharamaco Surgical, Dream City, Muthi in June 2012. The drug was manufactured by M/s Medley Pharmaceuticals Limited.
However, the Minister revealed that supply was received from a manufacturer-Affy Parenterals Vill, Gullerwala, Buddi, Solan in Himachal Pradesh, which hadn’t been approved by the Central Purchase Committee for supply of the drug.
Earlier, Congress MLA and former Minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori and Independent MLA Engineer Abdul Rashid again raised the issue pertaining to supply of spurious drugs in the Government hospitals.
“There has been panic and concern among the people after the detection of spurious drugs in Kashmir. Registration of FIR against the firm is alright but the accused persons should be put behind the bars. There is conspiracy to kill the people,” Mr Rashid said.
He added that entire system of health has been rendered defunct. “There is no accountability. Rs 3 crore worth contract has been awarded to the firm. The accused persons should be arrested,” he asserted.
Mr Saroori said there were many shops in Kishtwar, which were selling spurious drugs.
“This is nothing but attempt to kill the poor people. Stern action shall be taken against the accused. There is no injection available in 20 to 40 kilometers are of Keshwan,” he added.
National Conference member Aijaz Ahmad Jan said there should be no compromise with quality of drugs.
The issue has also figured in the Assembly yesterday after the Excelsior had reported that the drug was found carrying zero per cent salt as against mentioned 500 milligrams Amoxicillin.
Later talking to reporters, Medical Education Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din said:” a criminal case has been registered against the company for the supply of fake Amoxicillin capsules (to the Ministry of Medical Education). It has endangered lives of patients in the State”.
The capsules supplied by the Pharma Company with no Amoxicillin content in them there threatening the lives of the thousands of patients, he said.
The purchases have been made by the Purchase Committee headed by the Principal Medical college under the Medical Education Ministry during last year.
He however said no arrests have been made and “we cannot force police to arrest them’’.
“The capsules does not contain any anti-body— if it does not contain any anti-body, patients can die during post operative care as these capsules are given to them from hospitals during post operative care”, Taj said.
“It has been heinous crime—I am ashamed of officers and others who have passed these drugs before testing them”, he added.
Pharma company has supplied 50,000 Maximizen (anti-biotic) capsules worth Rs 10 lakh out of which 80 per cent of the these capsules were consumed and 20 per cent were left out, Taj said.
Both the Medical Colleges and Associated hospitals have been asked to probe the matter and payment to the company has been stopped, he added.
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