SUHAIL RATHER
Bandipora, 06 April: In a shocking incident, a private chemist in Bandipora was found selling drugs meant for free supply to Government Hospitals including Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).
A team of Drug Control Department raided a chemist shop in Chittenbandai area of Bandipora district and recovered a huge quantity of medicines meant for free supply to Government hospitals supplied by Jammu & Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL). The medicines supplied for SKIMS Soura was also recovered from the shop.
An official said the medicines include Glanstill Injection of SKIMS Supply, NS Gulcose (JKMSCL Supply), Triglon Injection (SKIMS Supply), Ceftriaxone Injection-(JKMSCL Supply), Infusion set (SKIMS Supply), Cetrizine Tablets (JKMSCL Supply), Compound sodium lactat Injection (JKMSCL supply), Rolled Bandage (Hospital Supply), Dextrose (JKMSCL supply), Axapara Injection (SKIMS Supply), Medroxy progesto injection (Free supply under Antara Programme of Govt of India).
The Drug Inspector along with a team of officials seized the shop and recovered the medicines besides registering a case in the matter. The retrieved medicine, which according to the officials is worth lakhs of rupees, is the hospital supply and was meant to be distributed among poor patients.
“Among the retrieved medicine include huge quantity of antibiotics, Contraceptive injections and other medicines meant for free supply,” said Drug Inspector Bilal Ahmad Rather. He said the team sealed the medical shop and an inquiry has been initiated to ascertain why this medicine, which was meant for the needy patients in the hospital, was being sold in open market.
Locals said that the recovery may open a Pandora box as the sale of hospital supply in open market may not be possible without involvement of biug fishes in the Health Department and Government Hospitals. Locals said the medicines meant for poor patients is being sold in market and the poor are denied drugs in the hospitals for many reasons.
Locals appealed the government to take cognizance of the matter and investigate the matter thoroughly so that all the accused officials are unmasked and punished for the crime.
