The Opposition Congress members on Friday attempted to corner Health Minister Ajay Chandrakar in the Chhattisgarh Assembly over an issue of medicines purchased by the Health Department from a blacklisted company through call attention motion.
Raising the issue, Congress member Bhupesh Baghel said the Health Department is marred by the irregularity of procuring medicines from blacklisted companies.
Meanwhile, Baghel also accused officials of Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation limited of having nexus with blacklisted companies.
According to Baghel, the Department has floated a tender(01/M(P)/CGMSC/Drugs/2014) for purchasing medicines and officials of Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation limited (CMSCl) have awarded the tender to Vital Healthcare Private limited, the company which was blacklisted in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, he said.
Moreover, the officials of CMSCl have deliberately overlooked the affidavit produced by the company in which they hid the fact of being blacklisted in other states, said Baghel.
He further added that the duration, in which Vital Healthcare was blacklisted in other states, officials of CMSCl have given a work order to the tune of around Rs 8 crore to the company.
In his statement, Health Minister Ajay Chandrakar said that it is incorrect to say that the nefarious business of purchasing medicines from blacklisted companies is taking place in Health Department and officials of CMSCl are indulgng in it. Contrary to this, the Corporation procures quality medicines through transparent process under store purchase rule.
It is correct that the Department has issued a tender (01/M(P)/CGMSC/Drugs/2014) and Vital Healthcare participated in the tender, said Chandrakar, elaborating that after being informed that the company was blacklisted in Andhra Pradesh, no work order was issued to Vital Healthcare.
Moreover, a show cause notice was issued to Vital Healthcare on March 1 this year and the company was blacklisted for five years, added Chandrakar.
Quality testing of medicines supplied by Vital Healthcare has also been carried out, claimed the Health Minister.
Taking up the issue, Baghel said blacklisting the company is not a solution. A FIR must be lodged in this connection and action should also be taken against responsible officials.
Responding to the demand of Baghel, the Minister said that the government will not compromise on issues pertaining to people. An investigation in this connection has been started and it would take around six months to complete. Based on findings of the investigation, further action will be taken.