The Hindu : Karnataka News : Lokayukta raids BMP drug store

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 11, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Lokayukta raids BMP drug store

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 10. Life-saving drugs that were of substandard quality and those whose "expiry dates" had lapsed, medicines in damaged boxes stored in excess and IV fluids with fungus on them greeted the Lokayukta, N. Venkatachala, at the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's (BMP) drug store at its Dasappa Maternity Hospital near the Town Hall on Thursday.

Following complaints from the public, the Lokayukta raided the drug store and the BMP Chief Health Officer's office and seized samples of medicines and the files pertaining to purchase and procurement of life-saving drugs by the civic body.

Medicines for all the 29 BMP hospitals, 23 maternity homes and six referral centres are supplied from this store.

During the raid, the Lokayukta noticed that though the records showed that medicines had been supplied to the centres, the stock revealed that they had not been dispatched since September 2004.

Besides, staff nurses were posted at the drug store in place of pharmacists.

When the Lokayukta questioned the Health Officer (Family Welfare, Maternity and Child Health), M. Vijaylakshmi, who is also in charge of the store, she did not have any explanation.

The Lokayukta also noticed that cartons of anti-rabies drugs were stocked in the store while patients were turned away at the BMP health centres on the pretext of non-availability of medicines.

The Lokayukta took the doctor to task and asked why the medicines were not being made available to the public. He also inspected the Chief Health Officer, C.H. Nagarabett's office at the BMP headquarters and examined the files pertaining to purchase, procurement and distribution of drugs.

Later, the Lokayukta told reporters that though the BMP was spending over Rs. 2.5 crores on its rabies control programme, the number of dog bites had increased from 22,000 in 2003 to 31,924 in 2004.

"The officials say that four voluntary organisations have been entrusted with the task of conducting the animal birth control programme and the BMP pays over Rs 1.5 crores for this. But it is surprising that the dog bites are increasing," he said.

He directed Dr. Nagarabett to ensure that all the BMP health centres had enough stocks of medicines. "I want you to ensure that all the maternity homes have the required life-saving drugs," he said.

He said he would study the records to find out the extent of irregularities and who the real culprits were. "I will also write to the BMP Commissioner, K. Jothiramalingam, to initiate action against the guilty," he said.

Startling fact

About a non-governmental organisation using a portion of the BMP maternity home on 1st Cross in Vasanthnagar to run a veterinary clinic, the Lokayukta said the public brought this startling fact to his notice in a complaint. "As rabid dogs are always tied up inside the hospital compound, women are scared to visit the maternity home. This is ridiculous. Get the portion used by the NGO vacated immediately," the Lokayukta told the Chief Health Officer.

When contacted the Chief Health Officer said that he would seek the Special Commissioner, Subash Chandra's permission and evict the NGO from the hospital.

He denied irregularities in the purchase and distribution of drugs.

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