No dearth of essential medicines in govt hospitals, says Karnataka Minister

Belagavi: Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday said there was no shortage of essential medicines in any government hospitals in the state.

He was replying to a question raised by H S Gopinath in the Legislative Council.

The annual demand list of medicines required by the government health institutions and approved by the State Therapeutic Committee is being submitted to the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) through the E-AUSHADA software, the minister said.

The medicines are being procured by the KSMSCL through tenders as per the rules of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act and supplied to the KSMSCL warehouses district-wise. They supply to the health institution as per the demand so that there is no shortage, he said.

The list of medicines available in the district drug warehouses of the KSMSCL has been distributed to all the districts, Rao told the House.

He said that public health institutions are getting the medicines they need by submitting requests to the KSMSCL drug warehouses district-wise.

The minister explained that the tenders have been invited by KSMSCL to supply 732 medicines required by various levels of health institutions for the year 2023-24 and after completing the tender process, purchase orders have already been issued to supply 475 medicines.

The process of inviting tenders for the supply of 256 medicines for which zero bids and unsuccessful bids are underway.

Replying to another query by MLC Govindaraju, Rao warned action against the drug shops running illegally without a license in the state.

He said that currently 37,130 private drug shops are operating in the state, seven Janata Bazaars, 23 Jana Sanjeevini Kendras and 178 Jana Aushadhi Kendras are functioning in the government hospital premises.

During the daily inspection in 2023-24, the department officials suspended 1,245 licenses for violating the rules and 292 licenses were cancelled, Rao said.

The department officials are monitoring the stock and sales of controlled psychotropic drugs and conducting inspections of illegal sales of such drugs in private medical stores and taking appropriate action if violations are found, the minister explained.

In addition, the department conducts a three-day special inspection every year to prevent drug abuse and take action against the institutions found to be in violation, he said.

Out of the total 112 drug inspector posts in the Drug Control Department, only eight posts are filled. A proposal has been submitted to the Karnataka Public Service Commission to fill 83 posts, Rao informed the Council.