Delay in medicine supply under DDSSY: GAPL comes clean

NT NETWORK

PANAJI

With the government on Saturday declaring that Goa Antibiotics and Pharmaceutical Ltd (GAPL) has been blacklisted for delay in supplying medicines to hospitals empanelled under the Deen Dayal Swasthya Sena Yojana (DDSSY), a reliable source in the company attributed the disruption in supplies to lack of communication from the directorate of health services (DHS)

about the change in the insurance provider.

The source speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’ said that on June 1, Paramount Health Services Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based company informed that it was the third party administrator (TPA) for insurance under the DDSSY and to continue with the supply of medicines.

“Subsequently we asked DHS officials to confirm the appointment of Paramount as the TPA agency but they did not do it. In the absence of official communication, we had to go by only Paramount’s word (of the appointment),” said the GAPL source.

He added that GAPL previously dealt directly with the DHS and supplied medicines for DDSSY. The supply continued until May 31, 2018 after which the insurance provider was changed. The company got to know about the change in insurance provider from the media and was kept in the dark about proposed change in the insurance model.

“We are only seeking a letter in writing or e-mail from the DHS about the change in the previous insurance provider or TPA and we would have continued supplying medicines,” said the GAPL source.

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had on Saturday said that the government had blacklisted GAPL for delay in supplying medicines to government hospitals. He said that a show cause notice had been issued to the company by the TPA for 15-20 days delay in supplying medicines.

GAPL has been supplying medicines to government hospitals attached to DDSSY since the launch of the scheme in 2016 and the source added that the company is keen to continue with the previous arrangement.

The government is changing the model for running the DDSSY. It is planning to go in for TPA model as adopted by several states. GAPL sources said that with the termination in contract of the previous insurance company, they are in the dark as to who will be the new reimbursing insuring company.