Nagpur: The issue of procurement of medicines and medical devices for government medical colleges and hospitals attached to the Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER) through a third-party agency is once again in the limelight. An outfit of unorganized workers, attached to the Congress party, has demanded that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government discontinue the third-party system and introduce the earlier open bidding system for every institute.
At present, it is mandatory for all medical colleges and hospitals attached to state government’s DMER to purchase medicines, medical equipment and other related items only from Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceuticals Corporation Ltd.
Alleging that this system is creating problems for hospitals and encouraging corruption, the All India Unorganized Workers Congress has demanded that new government should end this practice. The state coordinator of unorganized workers Congress and president of State Medical College Employees’ Association Trisharan Shahare has requested CM Uddhav Thackeray to end the obstacle of Haffkine and restore the earlier procedure of purchasing medicines and devices.
“GMCs in state are facing a major crisis of medicines, chemicals, glassware, diagnostic kits, surgical items, and disinfectants. They must register their demand with Haffkine and then wait for a long time to get the required devices. Many times, Haffkine sends medicines other than those ordered,” said Shahare.
“Almost every GMC is facing crisis of medicines and diagnostic kits. Poor patients are suffering. We have demanded that the Haffkine system should be ended immediately,” he added.
Being a Congress outfit, they also submitted the demand to DMER minister Amit Deshmukh. Shahare said, Deshmukh was very positive about their demands and the MVA government will soon end this system for the welfare of common patients.
At present, it is mandatory for all medical colleges and hospitals attached to state government’s DMER to purchase medicines, medical equipment and other related items only from Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceuticals Corporation Ltd.
Alleging that this system is creating problems for hospitals and encouraging corruption, the All India Unorganized Workers Congress has demanded that new government should end this practice. The state coordinator of unorganized workers Congress and president of State Medical College Employees’ Association Trisharan Shahare has requested CM Uddhav Thackeray to end the obstacle of Haffkine and restore the earlier procedure of purchasing medicines and devices.
“GMCs in state are facing a major crisis of medicines, chemicals, glassware, diagnostic kits, surgical items, and disinfectants. They must register their demand with Haffkine and then wait for a long time to get the required devices. Many times, Haffkine sends medicines other than those ordered,” said Shahare.
“Almost every GMC is facing crisis of medicines and diagnostic kits. Poor patients are suffering. We have demanded that the Haffkine system should be ended immediately,” he added.
Being a Congress outfit, they also submitted the demand to DMER minister Amit Deshmukh. Shahare said, Deshmukh was very positive about their demands and the MVA government will soon end this system for the welfare of common patients.
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