11,000 narcotic tablets stolen from Moga Civil Hospital

Nearly 11,000 buprenorphine tablets, a controlled narcotic drug used in de-addiction, worth over Rs 7 lakh have been stolen from a store of the Moga Civil Hospital.

The theft came to light on Tuesday when the hospital staff found the lock of the main medicine store broken and discovered that a large quantity of buprenorphine tablets was missing.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Harinder Sood said 1.5 lakh buprenorphine tablets were stocked in the store, of which about 11,000 tablets (each costing around Rs 65) were found missing. He said the police were immediately informed.

An official said the theft was not only a financial setback, but posed a serious threat to public health as the stolen drugs may already have entered the illegal narcotics trade.

Buprenorphine is a key medicine used in ‘opioid agonist treatment’ (OAT) for drug de-addiction. In Moga district, more than 12,000 individuals were registered for treatment under 23 OAT and OST centres, said Dr Rajesh Mittal, Deputy Medical Commissioner, Moga.

The drug is in high demand and is often abused as a substitute for heroin and other opioids, said sources in the hospital.

Also, the incident has sparked outrage over the hospital’s handling of high-risk medicines. The sources said the buprenorphine stock had recently been shifted to a temporary hall, which was earlier functioning as a nursing school lecture room, after rain damaged the original store. The new location had no CCTV cameras, no security guard and even the locking system was reportedly inadequate, the sources said.

The absence of basic security measures raised serious questions about negligence and accountability within the Health Department, said an official.

A team from the Moga (City) police station has started investigating the case, examining CCTV footage from nearby areas and questioning the hospital staff. Health Department officials have also ordered an internal inquiry to identify those responsible for the lapse and to strengthen security arrangements for controlled drugs.