Read Time: 06 minutes

Taking Suo Moto cognizance of mismanagement and wastage of medicines in government hospitals, a Division Bench of Calcutta High Court comprised of Acting Chief Justice RajeshBindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee issued notice to the State of West Bengal through its Chief Secretary and the Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department on Tuesday, June 22nd.

The court directed the State 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, and also 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 thereof.

Noticing a disturbing news published in the daily Hindi newspaper ‘Sanmarg’ regarding apprehension of waste of medicines worth a crore of rupees in Beliaghata ID hospital, Justice Shivakant Prasad brought this to the notice of the Chief Justice (Acting) for taking up the matter in larger public interest.

The concerned news article implied that such problems are usually faced by State hospitals in West Bengal, wherein the medicines are getting expired due to lack of patients requiring such medicines. The 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.

The Court observed, 

“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.”

It further added,

“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. 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.”

Further directing the State to notify the Court whether all the hospitals in the State are computerized and connected to a network or not, the High Court has adjourned the hearing till 8 July, 2021.