Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 9 (PTI) Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Friday said the medicine shortage in the state was not a creation of the current administration and was caused by the procurement-related lapses on the part of the previous government.
Satheesan, at a press conference here, explained that medicines arrive at hospitals for a particular year by taking the “indent” or official written requisition from the medical officers at the district level during the previous year.
“Then through the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL), the requisitioned medicines are procured by floating tenders. Then the tender is fixed and order is given to the winning company.
“The companies will supply the medicines based on their nature. If there was a shortage of medicines this year, it was because last year’s (during the previous LDF government) indent process was not done properly. It was not a creation of the current government,” he contended.
He further said that there was a problem in respect of 28 medicines and therefore, the government devised an “alternate mechanism” of shifting these medicines from places where they are in large stock to where they are in short supply.
“So, there was no situation that all medicines were not available across Keralam. Only four or five medicines were not available,” he claimed.
He also said that the medicines which were not available were ordered to be procured through local purchase wherever required to ensure availability during an emergency. PTI HMP ROH
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