Vij orders audit of medicine purchase

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 19

Health Minister Anil Vij on Monday said that special audit of the procurement of medicines and consumables would be conducted in all the 22 districts of the state.

Talking to media persons here, Vij said the state government would take stern action against officials if any irregularity was found in the purchase during the audit.

Reacting to the allegations of a scam in the local purchase of medicines, Vij said local purchase worth Rs 40.8 crore alone was made in the past three years.

On the specific allegation of the purchase of face mask worth 0.85 paisa for Rs 4, Anil Vij maintained that the department purchased masks of both price tags.

“The masks worth 0.85 paisa apiece are single layered and unsterilised while the ones worth Rs 4 are three layered and are sterilised,” he added.

Acting on Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala’s allegations that two firms that supplied medicines to the department did not have drug licence, Vij ordered the state drug controller to verify the facts and initiate suitable action, if the allegations were found correct.

Dushyant had on Sunday alleged irregularities to the tune of Rs 300 crore in the purchase of medicines at state government hospitals and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

He alleged that norms were violated in the purchases made at the district level by officials over the past three years.