Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 19: Substantiating the general perception that steps aimed at streamlining the things are always scuttled mid-way in Jammu and Kashmir, the continuous political interference has held hostage the Medical Supplies Corporation, which was otherwise constituted to ensure centralized procurement of drugs and equipment for all the health institutions across the State.
The Corporation came into being vide State Cabinet Decision No.130/15/2013 dated May 21, 2013 that too after immense public and media outcry over the infamous spurious drugs scam. The objective behind the constitution of Corporation was to centralize and ensure the supply of standard quality drugs and other medical supplies to healthcare centres across Jammu and Kashmir.
Though on the very next day of the Cabinet decision, the Health and Medical Education Department issued an order regarding creation of 22 posts of different categories, the actual deployment of officers in the Corporation began in December 2013 when the General Administration Department issued orders deploying two KAS officers as General Managers of the Corporation.
Much hype was given to this decision of the Government and even Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, while chairing the 2nd meeting of the Corporation emphasized the need of making it fully functional within shortest possible time so that Corporation starts rendering its responsibilities meticulously for the public good.
“But no seriousness was shown to make the Corporation functional in real sense despite being aware of the fact that if the body is allowed to function in proficient manner it will pave the way for an effective implementation of the Drug Policy besides streamlining the existing drug procurement mechanism”, sources told EXCELSIOR.
This can be gauged from the fact that more than a year after Cabinet decision regarding constitution of J&K Medical Supplies Corporation the Health and Medical Education Department issued an order No. 453 dated August 1, 2014 regarding transfer of funds to the Corporation.
By way of this order, the Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education Department directed all the Heads of Departments under his administrative control to transfer 75 percent of their budgetary allocation under detailed head ‘Drugs and Instruments’ and 100 percent of the allocation under the detailed head ‘Machinery and Equipment’ both plan and non-plan for financial year 2014-15 to J&K Medical Supplies Corporation for procurement of drugs and machinery.
Due to political interference, this order was not given practical shape thereby throttling the Corporation before it could start functioning to meet the objective behind its formation. “The intensity of the political interference with ulterior motives can be gauged from the fact that now Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education Department has again issued an order whereby the order of August 1, 2014 has been modified in order to further create road block in centralized procurement of drugs and medicines”, sources said.
“The Government Order No. 453-HME dated August 1, 2014 shall be applicable from April 1, 2015”, reads the latest order No. 575-HME of 2014 dated October 16, 2014 issued by Commissioner Secretary of Health and Medical Education Department. The order further says: Directors, Health Services, Kashmir and Jammu shall handover the drug warehouses to the Corporation by April 15, 2015. Moreover, by way of this order the Commissioner Secretary has given very limited time-frame to all the Heads of Departments for furnishing requisition of drugs/equipment to the Corporation.
“This order is in contravention to the statement made by the Chief Minister in 2nd meeting of the Corporation whereby he had laid emphasis on ensuring full functioning of the Corporation within shortest possible time”, sources said, adding “keeping in view the practical difficulties and continuous political interference there are apprehensions about the compliance of even this latest order.
It is pertinent to mention here that Corporation is mandated to undertake procurement, testing, storage and distribution of human drugs, medical equipments and devices to the Government health institutions of the State.
Follow our WhatsApp channel