"Taxpayers' Money Cannot Be Wasted Like This": Calcutta HC Takes Cognizance Of Media Report On Mismanagement, Wastage Of Medicines In Govt Hospitals

The Calcutta High Court this week took cognizance of a media report regarding apprehension of waste of medicines worth a Crore of rupees in Government Hospitals in the State after observing that a mechanism needs to be developed wherein such wasteful expenditure on purchase of medicines in hospitals need to be examined.

Opining that taxpayers' money cannot be wasted in such a manner, a division bench comprising of Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee observed thus:

"There is a need to develop a mechanism whereby wasteful expenditure on purchase of medicines in different hospitals and also the medical colleges which are not required and have to be thrown in dustbin after its expiry, need to be examined."

Furthermore, it said:

"One needs to keep in mind that taxpayers' money of which the State is a trustee cannot be allowed to be wasted like this. The government has to plan to save the money also wherever possible. The entire mind and energy should not be used for framing the schemes to make the voters happy. This Court be also apprised of the fact as to whether all the hospitals in the State are computerized and connected to a network or not."

The communication was received from Justice Shivakant Prasad who had perused the news report published in a daily Hindi newspaper 'Sanmarg' showing that the Government Hospitals in the State were facing a problem wherein medicines were getting expired due to lack of patients requiring such medicines.

According to the communication, the judge had said that Health Department is merely publishing a list of such medicines on its website whereas considering the value of medicines in the current pandemic it is expected that a pro active step is taken by the State Government to avoid such huge loss of medicines.

"It apparently appears that there is no proper management and distribution of medicine and injections by the Health Department, Government of West Bengal as in other hospitals, people are crying for medicines and injections who are in dire need whereas at one place all the medicines and injections worth Rs. 1 crore are lying idle without use. These problems need to be addressed, so that, the public health services are not disturbed because of mismanagement in public health department." The communication read.

Observing that the matter should be taken up in larger public interest, the Court was of the view that although news pertains to one hospital in the State, "There are many more and as a result, the loss also may be running into crores of rupees. The wasteful avoidable expenditure may also be on purchase of medicines which are not required at all."

Accordingly, the Court issued notice to State of West Bengal through its Chief Secretary and the Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department and directed it to apprise the Court about the amount spent on purchase of different medicines and other consumables in the State of West Bengal during the last five years in different hospitals and medical colleges and the amount of medicines which had to be disposed of as the same could not be utilized before their expiry date.

The Court also sought response as to whether there is any software used for monitoring the purchase, supply and utilization of medicines in different hospitals in the State to check wastage and unnecessary purchase.

"Publication of list on the website or sending letters to different hospitals and departments, is not the solution. The entire system has to be maintained with the help of information and technology, the era in which we are living." The Court said..

With the aforesaid submissions, the Court adjourned the matter to July 8.

Title: Re: Mismanagement and Wastage of Medicines in Government Hospitals

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