Bureaucratic paralysis chokes medicine supplies in government hospitals

Kozhikode: Crippled by administrative paralysis at the top of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation (KMSCL) and prolonged delays in the re-tendering process, government hospitals across Kerala are facing an acute shortage of essential medicines and basic medical supplies, including paracetamol.

In several hospitals, even basic supplies such as cotton for dressing wounds are in short supply. Cancer drugs, antibiotics, and medicines for diabetes and heart ailments are also running low, forcing several hospitals to resort to local purchases to meet emergency requirements.

In a meeting, the KMSCL board noted that companies had shown no interest in supplying 180 of the items included in this year’s tender, while prices of 171 items were higher than those quoted the previous year. The board subsequently decided to procure an additional 25% stock of the costlier items from the existing suppliers and re-tender the items for which there were no bidders.

However, orders for the re-tendered items are yet to be placed as the re-tendering process and quality checks of the medicines remain incomplete. The 25% additional stock procured earlier has also run out, pushing hospitals into a severe shortage of medicines.

KMSCL officials stated that purchase orders were placed at the end of August and that the medicines are expected to reach hospitals by the end of this month.

Some of the medicines that are short in supply include aspirin, Torpidogel (cardiac medicine), omeprazole (for acidity), metformin (diabetes), doxycycline (leptospirosis), paracetamol, carboplatin and cisplatin (chemotherapy drugs), IDRV (rabies vaccine), acyclovir and amoxicillin (antibiotics), DEC tablets (filariasis), atorvastatin (cholesterol), albendazole (deworming), and IV fluids.

The crisis unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing administrative turmoil at KMSCL since the UDF government assumed office. For instance, the post of general manager in the agency has changed hands twice during this period. Although the Food Safety Commissioner was appointed managing director of KMSCL with additional charge, the official is yet to assume office.

Meanwhile, allegations have also surfaced that officials who entered key positions through temporary appointments during the previous government’s tenure are deliberately delaying crucial decisions.