The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report 2015, which was tabled in the Delhi Assembly on Monday showed the performance of the Delhi Government hospitals with respect to the procurement, maintenance and use of medical equipments.
The report pointed out delays were frequently experienced in the procurement process of medical equipment.
It said a comprehensive plan for procurement of medical equipment had not been prepared either centrally in the department or at the level of individual hospitals.
“There was delay in the procurement and delivery of medical equipment though this activity was outsourced to an agency with the specific objective of eliminating such delays. An amount of Rs60.65 lakh was paid to the agency as consultancy fee. Hospitals failed to impose penalty of Rs95.84 lakh on defaulting suppliers for delayed supply of essential medical equipment. Advances of Rs73.62 crore given to suppliers remained unadjusted from the year 2005 till date in hospitals test-checked”, the CAG said.
Hospitals procured items and consumables of Rs3.16 crore in excess of their actual requirement, which were lying unused in stock for prolonged periods. The report said that 66 equipment valuing Rs18.22 crore received during 2009-10 to 2014-15 were installed after delays ranging from one month to over two years. “21 equipment costing Rs83.17 lakh remained unutilised due to non-availability of accessories, regents and consumables for periods ranging between 15 days and over three years. Hospitals incurred an expenditure of Rs94.78 lakh on repair of equipment that were under warranty. The hospitals neither invoked the warranty nor initiated action against the firms,” the report said.
The CAG also pointed out that Health Department has engaged Hll to procure equipments. During 2013-15, Hll received indents from 24 Government hospitals/institutes for procurement of 300 medical equipment of estimated value of Rs183.87 crore. It placed procurement orders for 80 equipment valuing Rs44.37 crore, but only 42 equipment costing Rs35.09 crore were delivered to the hospitals as of August 2015 and remaining equipment were under various stages of the procurement process. The reasons for slow pace of procurement were attributed to multiple approvals required from the hospitals at various stages of tender process.
Thus, the very purpose of engaging a specialised procurement agency for timely procurement of medical equipment was defeated, though Rs60.65 lakh (2013-14- Rs6.03 lakh, 2014-15- Rs19.81 lakh, and Rs34.81 lakh upto August 2015) had been paid as consultancy fee to the agency as of August 2015 and hospitals remained unequipped of the medical infrastructure to the extent of upto two years.
According to the report, the working was marked with an inadequacy in planning.