Delhi LG Suggests CBI Probe Into 'Fake' Drugs Supplied To Hospitals, AAP Seeks Action Against Officials

Responding to the allegation, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that after assuming office, he had directed an audit of the drugs, but no action was taken by the Health Secretary.

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI inquiry into an alleged supply of drugs that failed quality standard tests in government hospitals, news agency PTI reported citing Raj Niwas officials. It is alleged that the drugs have the “potential of endangering lives”.  

According to the report, Saxena wrote to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar flagging his concern over the medicines. "It is with a sense of deep concern that I have perused the file. I am, to say the least, anguished at the fact that lakhs of hapless people and patients are being supplied fake drugs that have failed quality standard tests," Saxena wrote, as reported by PTI.

"Tested by government as well as private analysts/ laboratories as per rules and statutory provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, these have failed and are categorised as ‘Not of Standard Quality’," he further wrote.

The Lieutenant Governor said that these medicines were procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under the Delhi Health Services (DHS) and they have been supplied to the government hospitals as well as the mohalla clinics.

After complaints over “sub-standard medicines” at the government hospitals, drug samples were collected for testing, Raj Niwas officials said, reported PTI.

Responding to the allegation, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that after assuming office, he had directed an audit of the drugs, but no action was taken by the Health Secretary.

Taking to X, Bharadwaj wrote, “I joined on 9.3.2023, gave directions dated 21.3.2023 for audit of Medicines procured through CPA or otherwise. No action by Health Secretary. Again action taken report sought from Health Secretary dated 24.7.2023. However, no response came from Health Secretary.”

"Procurement of medicines comes under DGHS and dept head is Health Secretary. 2 months back, on 23.10.2023 , I recommended LG saab to suspend Health Secretary SB Deepak Kumar and DGHS. Why no action against them ? At least suspend them now," he wrote.

Slamming the Centre, he further said that CBI probe has been ordered on the drugs but not consumables supplied by the Central government. Addressing a press sonference, he said, "Order for CBI enquiry has only been given for medicines and not for consumables that were bought from the Central government. This shows that if consumables samples would have been taken for the probe then that would have raised questions on the Centre."

BJP Demands Sacking Of Delhi Health Minister, Cong Seeks Probe

Meanwhile, in the light of the allegations, BJP demanded that Delhi Health Minister be sacked.

Blaming Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP dispensation for the situation, BJP said Bharadwaj should be sacked.

“We have the lab and vigilance report. The samples of the medicines being provided in the Delhi government hospitals have failed. We demand that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal immediately sack his health minister,” PTI quoted Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva as saying.

Terming the matter as “serious”, Delhi Congress sought an investigation and said action should be taken against the culprits.

"It is a serious problem and a probe must be conducted... A medical board should be constituted by the government so that other medicines can also be tested and action should be taken against those found guilty,” PTI quoted Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely as saying.