Crores rupees being spent on salaries & office expenditures for ensuring poor performances

DHS’s stores lying empty, hospitals buying fluid at exorbitant rates by throwing norms into winds 

Nitesh Sangral

JAMMU, Nov 23: The State Government is spending crores rupees on the salaries of the officials of Health Department and paying out huge expenditure of their luxurious life by providing vehicles and their fuel’s expenditure but surprisingly, the performance of the officials is zero as hospitals are purchasing fluids and other lifesaving drugs at exorbitant rates because the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) has failed to provide vital drugs and medicines for last about 7-8 months.

At GMC and other hospitals also, Poor patience’s been forced to buy essential or commonly used Injectables like Ceftriaxone and IV Fluids and others. On much higher rates from open market as for last many months’ hospitals do not have enough supplies of these items. The sad part of story is that in absence of supplies from JKMSCL which still won’t be able to execute the supplies fully even by next 3-4 months, the officials in Health and Medical Education don’t have any sort of either preparedness or coordination to sort out this vital issue. Rather, blame game is otherwise deteriorating the situation.

 At present, the government hospital Sarwal and other district and sub-district level hospitals are facing acute shortage of drugs and fluids. If there is an emergency then who will responsible for not providing such items timely. And, if any kind of drug-related stock is available in the hospitals, it is only available for VVIPs or emergency cases, shortage of these basic things are exposing the claims of the Health Ministry and its Departments who are enjoying the luxurious life using fleets of vehicles and allied extravaganzas’.

 When contacted Director Health Services Jammu Dr Gurjeet Singh claimed that the JKMSCL is providing supplies of the drugs even fluid. On being asked that department’s stores are lying empty, he didn’t prefer to give an answer and cut the call.

 “Taking advantage of the failure of JKMSL for not providing drugs for last many months and the drug will not be provided for upcoming 4 to 5 months resulting which fluid bottle is available between Rs. 14 to 15 but they are buying at exorbitant rates as Rs 18 to 25 per bottle, “an official of a hospital divulged, preferring anonymity. He also said the matter is eye-opening that at how state exchequer’s money are being misused or wasted by some officials giving benefits to their near and dears just because the JKMSCL has failed to provide drugs timely.

 If we recall, sources said the JKMSCL has come into existence for stopping backdoor purchasing and drugs at exorbitant rates but it seems due to lack of knowledge, incompetence’s and other personal interests, the backdoor purchasing of drugs at exorbitant rates is running with impunity but Health Ministry and State Government don’t have time to pay heed toward the misuse of state exchequer's money as well making smooth functioning of their departments.

 It is however a matter of liberations that in case of meeting the emergencies or for VVIPs / VIP patients, things been arranged by best efforts of our so-called responsible officials. But, end-fact is that the funds meant for the purpose of treating the poor patients being spent on treating the VVIPs / VIPs by our well paid officials enjoying Govt. amenities not to discharge their actual service obligations which are also without any accountability, checks or penalties to their service performances and contributions.