A random survey conducted by the Medical Superintendent (MS) of associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) has revealed that many medicines and equipments are being purchased at higher rate than their market price.
The shocking revelations that the hospital is purchasing overpriced medicines and other equipments came into fore when the MS Dr KK Tamta conducted a secret survey.
It is learnt that Hepacard kit was being purchased at a rate of `2500 per kit which is almost double than the market rate. This kit is used to test Hepatitis B in patients. Similarly the hospital was purchasing Urine test kit at almost four times of the market price. A five litre bottle of distilled water which is available at a price of `100 was purchased at a rate of `200 per bottle.
The MS of the hospital accepted that the survey has revealed wide difference in the available market price and the price quoted in the tenders. He said that the medical college has decided to purchase all the medicines and equipments by the process of e-tendering. “Yes I had personally conducted a market survey and the revelations are disturbing. Now everything would be purchased by the process of e -tendering which is a clean and transparent system,’’ he quipped.
These tenders were done from the office of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Dehradun. The hospitals of the district purchase the listed material from the firms at the price of tenders.
One of a senior officer of the health department said that the overpricing of the medicines and equipments occur due to the cartelizing the process of tenders by influential and big contractors. In it the contractors make a pool and quote higher prices.
In the process of tenders the deal is awarded to the lowest bidder. However these tenders have put the CMO office of state capital under scanner again. The CMO of Dehradun Dr YS Thapliyal told The Pioneer that the issue is of the period of his predecessors.
He added that the survey done by the medical college hospital is brought into the notice of higher authorities and appropriate action would be initiated in accordance with the directives.