He submitted before the court that the Drug and Food Control Organization had lifted several samples of drugs and other healthcare consumables during 2017-18, out of which 69 were found sub-standard.
Srinagar, September 21:
Disapproving government’s tardy approach to act against influx of substandard drugs, the High Court has sought action taken report with regard to the substandard drugs especially found to have been supplied by J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd.
“Let the State of Jammu & Kashmir to file an affidavit placing before this Court the action taken in respect of the sub-standard medical samples more specifically the sub-standard drugs found to have been supplied by J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd,” division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and justice D S Thakur said.
Issuing directions on the Public Interest Litigation against medical corruption in J&K, the court also sought particulars of the officers who had approved such drugs for sale and supply as well as the details of the civil and criminal action taken against the culpable.
The directions came after advocate Altaf Haqani as amicus curie submitted that spiraling substandard drugs is a serious issue in Jammu and Kashmir.
Citing a report published in “Greater Kashmir” on 29 July, 2018, Haqani said as per the report 81 percent of total drug samples taken by the authorities from the Kashmir were found sub-standard.
He submitted before the court that the Drug and Food Control Organization had lifted several samples of drugs and other healthcare consumables during 2017-18, out of which 69 were found sub-standard.
The samples, he said, included 30 samples from Jammu division and 51 samples from Kashmir division including the hospitals. “Out of the sub-standard drugs, seven drugs stood supplied by JK Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd (JKMSCL) a Government Agency, which include antibiotics and life saving drugs,” he added.
With regard to the compliance to its directions on sale of sub-standard drugs in the open market and the disclosure about the number of prosecutions initiated, the court said,” In this regard a simplistic stand has been taken that no complaint has been received against any doctor overcharging their patients”.
Courtesy: Greater Kashmir
