A shocking revelation by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has exposed serious lapses in Delhi’s public healthcare system. The report reveals that 15 lakh units of substandard medicines were administered to patients in government hospitals between 2015 and 2022, posing significant health risks.

Key Highlights:
Massive Distribution of Substandard Drugs

• 14,83,487 units of substandard medicines were distributed and used prior to being detected as substandard.

• Most of these drugs were detected as substandard only after use, compelling hospitals to replace huge amounts of already distributed drugs.

Frequently Prescribed Medicines Detected as Substandard
The report mentions a number of widely prescribed drugs that did not pass quality tests, including:

• Painkillers: Diclofenac Sodium, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol

• Antibiotics: Azithromycin, Ceftriaxone

• Gastrointestinal Drugs: Ranitidine, Pantoprazole

• Injectable Medicines: Iron Sucrose, Amino Acid Infusions, Calcium Supplements

• One of the most serious instances was that of Ranitidine 150mg, where 4,48,800 units of substandard stock were taken before any action was initiated.

Lapses in Drug Procurement and Quality Control

• Inordinate delays in the identification of substandard drugs cast doubts about testing procedures.

• Hospitals did not detect and withdraw faulty medicines prior to dispensing them to patients.

• The report doubts the responsibility of procurement officers and regulatory bodies dealing with quality control.

Political Fallout and Government Response

• Delhi Assembly saw intense debates after the release of the CAG report.

• Delhi Minister Dr. Pankaj Singh slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for alleged negligence in the procurement of drugs and purchases from blacklisted firms.

• Singh alleged that the government even purchased expired medicines and did not take care of food quality in hospitals.

• Of the 86 proposed healthcare contracts, only 24 were sanctioned, further weakening the public health system.

The CAG report demands urgent changes in the public healthcare in Delhi, more so in the procurement of drugs and quality controls. The Delhi government must step in and ensure corrective measures taken, with strong testing and monitoring to avoid any such incidents in the future.