Nagpur : Finally, Maharashtra’s Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER) has decided to put the existing process of purchase of drugs being conducted through Haffkine Bio-Pharmceutical Corporation Ltd. for Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in State, on hold for a year. Now, DMER itself will do the drug purchase for all the GMCs. This will help in resolving the issue of drug shortage and pave way to purchase the equipment out of Rs 71 crore funds donated by Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi.
Maharashtra Government’s bid to ensure transparency in procurement of medicines for its hospitals failed to finalise the modalities leaving the patients in a lurch across the State. The decision to utilise services of Haffkine made GMCs to literally run on saline with little medicines in its kitty. To add to their woes, they borrowed the drugs from medicine companies and the dues have reached in crores.
By issuing Government Resolution (GR) in August 2017 Government asked Haffkine Institute to carry out the bulk purchases of medicines required for the public hospitals in the State and it instructed all the GMCHs not to purchase medicines or surgical items on their own. This decision created all the mess.
Though late but Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Girish Mahajan realised the depth of the issue and put the Haffkine system on hold.
Promotions to be done through selection
Taking serious cognisance of the vacancy problem, DMER first withdrew from Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) for recruitments. It formed its own panel that made new appointments of 213 which is highest in number till now in one single year. Now, it has decided to do the promotions through selection.
Shirdi Sansthan’s money to be spent
Mahajan told ‘The Hitavada’, the money that DMER received by Shirdi’s Shri Sai Sansthan Trust for purchasing the equipment would be spent soon. Due to Haffkine’s bizarre stand the money was lying with the Government and four GMCs in State could not purchase the necessary equipment. Shirdi Sansthan had donated Rs 71 crore for four GMCs
Incentives in Jivandayee schemes
It has been observed that the number of beneficiaries of Mahatma Phule Jivandayee Aarogya Yojna are more in private sector which is 86 per cent. The share of Government sector including Government Medical Hospitals is only 14 per cent. To encourage Government staff to do more cases, DMER has decided to give incentives to staff in last monsoon session of State Legislature at Nagpur. Now it has been streamlined and staff would start receiving the incentive per case.
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