HC raps govt for not exhausting amount budgeted for medicines | Mumbai News
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Friday lambasted the state government for not spending the entire budgetary amount for procurement of medicines and medical equipment, and sought an explanation from it.
“This is a new trend in the government… Amount is sanctioned, money is released but unspent. Who is the ultimate sufferer?” asked Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor.They heard a suo motu PIL on deaths “that included a large number of infants” between September 30 and October 3, at two government hospitals in Nanded and Sambhajinagar.
From affidavits of the Medical Education and Drugs Department (SAY), which oversees medical colleges plus tertiary care hospitals, and the public health department, which runs secondary and primary level hospitals, the judges found that “the entire budgetary sanction for procurement was not spent.”
“If the budget is Rs 2, Rs 1.5 is spent. If you have made budgetary allocation, then why not spend the amount? the CJ asked. Advocate general Birendra Saraf said that after constitution of the Maharashtra Medical Goods Procurement Authority, procurement is streamlined and will be as per demands of hospitals.
The judges said they “hope and expect” that the state shall take adequate steps to spend the budgetary allocation and “see to it that it does not lapse at the cost of the healthcare system.” They “specifically” directed the state to inform what steps will be taken by it so that sanctioned budgetary allocation is spent. It shall also “disclose” reasons why entire budgetary allocation, although released, was not spent. Told by amicus curiae advocate Mohit Khanna that the state has not replied on demands for medicines and medical equipment raised with Haffkine Institute, which earlier handled procurement, the judges directed the state to give details for last one year.
The judges expressed concern about vacancies, including a huge shortage of nursing staff. They said “roughly one-third of posts are vacant.” “The group C includes posts of nursing staff and also various technical staff involved in diagnostics. Any vacancy in these posts is bound to hamper healthcare facilities in hospitals. Needless to say, there is an urgent need to fill up not just these but all vacancies,” they added.
“We are endeavouring to fill up vacancies in the shortest possible period,” said Saraf, adding that he is personally supervising to ensure filling up of vacancies. He informed that the majority posts, including nursing staff, will be filled by December-end. However, Saraf said for appointment of resident doctors, specialists etc, by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), “it takes a little time”. The judges said MPSC has indicated it would fill up vacancies by December 2024. Observing that the process needs to be further expedited, they directed the state and MPSC “to give more pace to the process of recruitment of staff at various levels.” They will take an update in February next.
“This is a new trend in the government… Amount is sanctioned, money is released but unspent. Who is the ultimate sufferer?” asked Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor.They heard a suo motu PIL on deaths “that included a large number of infants” between September 30 and October 3, at two government hospitals in Nanded and Sambhajinagar.
From affidavits of the Medical Education and Drugs Department (SAY), which oversees medical colleges plus tertiary care hospitals, and the public health department, which runs secondary and primary level hospitals, the judges found that “the entire budgetary sanction for procurement was not spent.”
“If the budget is Rs 2, Rs 1.5 is spent. If you have made budgetary allocation, then why not spend the amount? the CJ asked. Advocate general Birendra Saraf said that after constitution of the Maharashtra Medical Goods Procurement Authority, procurement is streamlined and will be as per demands of hospitals.
The judges said they “hope and expect” that the state shall take adequate steps to spend the budgetary allocation and “see to it that it does not lapse at the cost of the healthcare system.” They “specifically” directed the state to inform what steps will be taken by it so that sanctioned budgetary allocation is spent. It shall also “disclose” reasons why entire budgetary allocation, although released, was not spent. Told by amicus curiae advocate Mohit Khanna that the state has not replied on demands for medicines and medical equipment raised with Haffkine Institute, which earlier handled procurement, the judges directed the state to give details for last one year.
The judges expressed concern about vacancies, including a huge shortage of nursing staff. They said “roughly one-third of posts are vacant.” “The group C includes posts of nursing staff and also various technical staff involved in diagnostics. Any vacancy in these posts is bound to hamper healthcare facilities in hospitals. Needless to say, there is an urgent need to fill up not just these but all vacancies,” they added.
“We are endeavouring to fill up vacancies in the shortest possible period,” said Saraf, adding that he is personally supervising to ensure filling up of vacancies. He informed that the majority posts, including nursing staff, will be filled by December-end. However, Saraf said for appointment of resident doctors, specialists etc, by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), “it takes a little time”. The judges said MPSC has indicated it would fill up vacancies by December 2024. Observing that the process needs to be further expedited, they directed the state and MPSC “to give more pace to the process of recruitment of staff at various levels.” They will take an update in February next.
Post a Comment