Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: Alleging large-scale financial irregularities in the procurement of medicines and medical consumables in Jammu and Kashmir, RTI activist Balvinder Singh today claimed that crores of rupees from the public health exchequer have been lost through the functioning of AMRIT pharmacies established by HLL Lifecare Limited.
Addressing a press conference along with members of civil society, Singh said the AMRIT model-originally meant to provide affordable medicines, implants, stents and oncology drugs through direct rate contracts with manufacturers-has not been implemented in the Union Territory in its true spirit. Instead, he alleged that AMRIT outlets are procuring supplies from a limited number of private vendors and providing them to Government hospitals at highly inflated rates.
He claimed that several items were supplied at 100-150 per cent above market prices and up to 300-350 per cent higher than the rates offered by the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL). Citing specific examples, Singh said cancer drugs such as Mabtas, Bevatas and Debrumab were billed at rates far exceeding prevailing market prices. Similarly, he alleged that commonly used items like drip sets and Cefuroxime injections were procured through AMRIT at many times the JKMSCL rates, putting an unnecessary burden on hospital resources.
Singh further alleged that HLL Lifecare had removed drug rate lists from its website and failed to provide rate-contract copies to hospital authorities despite repeated requests, thereby compromising transparency. He said a senior hospital official had already flagged the issue of exorbitant pricing, but no action had been taken so far.
He also cited the case of a cancer patient who was allegedly billed twice for the same injection under different heads, causing a substantial loss to the exchequer.
Questioning the need for another procurement channel when JKMSCL and Jan Aushadhi stores are supplying medicines at lower rates, Singh demanded a high-level inquiry, fixation of responsibility and strengthening of JKMSCL on the lines of Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation to safeguard public funds and ensure transparency.
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