Bharadwaj demands action against health secy over 'fake' medicine row

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday demanded action against the health secretary over the alleged supply of sub-standard quality drugs to city government-run hospitals, an issue into which the Lt Governor has recommended a CBI inquiry.

Demanding that Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena take action against the secretary as well as a former director of the Directorate of Health Services-Delhi (DHS), he told a press conference that in "July-August some medicines' samples were sent for testing, and out of 43 samples, five were found not to be meeting standards".

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was made the health minister after Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain resigned from the Cabinet and their portfolios were redistributed.

The press conference was called by the minister after Raj Niwas officials on Saturday said that Saxena has recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged supply of drugs that "failed quality standard tests" and have the "potential of endangering lives" in Delhi government hospitals.

Recommending the inquiry, the Lt Governor sent a note to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar mentioning that it is concerning that these medicines are being given to lakhs of patients.

The Lt Governor also said that these drugs, procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under the Delhi Health Services, were supplied to Delhi government hospitals and may also have been supplied to the 'Mohalla Clinics'.

The consumables were brought from the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal of the Centre, the minister said.

Bharadwaj said when he assumed office in March, he directed that the audit of all purchases of medicines and consumables be expedited.