• In the last four years, medicines worth Rs. 23.20 lakh unused
• Hospital seeks nod to dispose of medicines scientifically

By S.T. Ravikumar 

Mysore/Mysuru: At a time when hundreds of patients thronging State-run K.R. Hospital are given prescriptions to buy medicines from other medical stores outside, here is a case of gross criminal negligence of stockpiling unused medicines for which permission has now been sought to destroy. 

Medicines worth Rs. 23,20,015 have crossed the expiry date mark since the last four years and they are dusting in the IPD-OPD block (Old Jayadeva) in the Hospital premises. Shockingly, most of these medicines are life-saving ones. The Hospital authorities have sought permission from the Government to destroy the expired medicines scientifically — again a long and expensive process.

For an RTI query, Hospital Chief Pharmacist B.R. Prasanna Kumar has stated that the medicines have not been used from January 2016 till November 2020. From January 2016 till December that year, medicines worth Rs. 1,39,430 have not been used including 12 types of tablets and injections. 

In 2017, medicines worth Rs. 6,83,179 have not been used and in 2018, losses amounted to Rs. 7,62,480. In 2019-2020, medicines worth Rs. 7,34,926 were not given to the patients and they have expired now.

2016 – Rs. 1,39,430 

The unused medicines include PDS Plus Suture worth Rs. 63,600, Pilocarpine Eye Drops (Rs. 24,750), Sodium Chloride Ophthalmic Solution (Rs. 10,000), Silver Nitrate Gel 0.2% 20 Gm (Rs. 16,224) and Hydrocortrizone Sodium 100 mg (Rs. 9,500).

2017 – Rs. 6,83,179  

Follys Catheter 18F/16F (2,73,600), Glibenclamide 5mg (Rs. 1,36,800), ECG Roll (Rs. 50,482), Lithium Carbonate tablets (Rs. 20,800), Sodium Valproate 500mg (Rs. 22,900), Calcium & Mineral Supplement (Rs. 65,000), Benzylpenicillin 600mg (Rs. 22,680) and Tur Set (Rs. 20,000). 

2018 – Rs. 7,62,4870 

80,000 CPM tablets (Rs. 5,60,000), 315 Etomidate injections (Rs. 92,925), 1,152 HIV Kits (Rs. 16,704), 500 Proparacaine Eye Drops (Rs. 15,000), 70,000 Atenolol 25mg tablets (Rs. 13,300)  and 400 Dobutamine injection (Rs. 10,000). 

2019-2020 – Rs. 7,34,926 

4,22,000 Chole Calciferol tablets (Rs. 4,64,200), 1,20,000 Carbamazepine 200mg tablets (Rs. 1,08,000), 2,32,000 Risperidone 2mg tablets (Rs. 39,440), 31,000 Amoxycillin 500mg tablets (Rs. 21,700). 

These medicines were purchased every year based on the indents given by different heads of Departments at K.R. Hospital. Shockingly, the purchases are made despite having sufficient quantities of medicines in the drug store raising a big question as to who benefited from the purchases. Purchases were made without checking actual stocks, requirements and also the distribution pattern. 

Rs. 10 crore worth  medicines

Every year, Rs. 10 crore worth medicines are purchased by K.R. Hospital and now there is an excess stock of expiry dated medicines as they were purchased carelessly. In the past too, many patients have complained that they were sent to other private medical shops to purchase medicines. 

The question here is, instead of buying medicines in bulk and without any forethought, why can’t there be a system of rationalising medicine supplies and also better inventory management. Sadly, patients are being denied medicines for even common ailments like fever and cold. 

Notably, the piling stocks of medicines have been pointed out and objected to by the audit committee every year, yet no action has been taken in this regard. Even the Lokayukta Police are conducting a probe on medicine waste. Now the Hospital authorities have written to the State level Drug Disposal Committee seeking permission to scientifically dispose of the wasted drugs. The expiry date drug scandal joins the list of many irregularities like misuse of funds in the purchase of writing materials, surgical equipment purchase, CC cameras for security and house-keeping contracts, all of which have been outsourced. 

There is inside information that a set of employees too are involved in the medicine purchase scam and only if the money that has been wasted is recovered from the accused, such acts will stop in future. But who will bell the cat? 

WHAT THEY SAID

I was appointed as the Chief Pharmacist of K.R. Hospital in March 2020 and till June, I was not given charge of the Drug Store. As I took over, I implemented a proper system of strict  checking, indenting and ensuring supplies of only those medicines that are scarce. The earlier Chief Pharmacist Siddaraju is responsible for this waste of medicines and now we have written to the Drug Disposal Committee to permit scientific disposal of the expired medicines.”  —B.R. Prasanna Kumar, Chief Pharmacist, K.R. Hospital

Every year, we purchase medicines worth Rs. 10 crore and there are chances of one percent of the medicines being unused and such medicines have now expired. We asked the Pharmacists to utilise such unused medicines at other Government Hospitals if not the K.R. Hospital. However, there was no response from the other Government Hospitals to utilise these medicines.” —Dr. N. Nanjundaswamy, Medical Superintendent, K.R. Hospital

Due to a decline in the number of non-COVID patients during the pandemic, tablets such as Vitamin C could have been left unused. But I am not aware of such a lot of medicines being wasted. Will discuss this with the Chief Pharmacist and the Medical Superintendent.” —Dr. C.P. Nanjaraj, Dean and Director, MMC&RI

Will seek information on such a huge drug waste from officers and will bring this to the notice of the Medical Education Minister and urge him for disciplinary action. It is an unfortunate incident and will ask the authorities not to allow public money to go down the drain.” —L. Nagendra, MLA, Chamaraja Constituency

What are use-by-date drugs?

According to recent studies, the expiry date on medicine bottles does not mean that the tablets are ineffective from the specified date onwards. That is, the expiry date doesn’t really indicate a point at which it is no longer effective. Rather the potency of the drug begins to decline. Its effectiveness begins to wear off. The medicine can be used even some months after expiry, but it will be less effective after the use-by-date.

How are they disposed of scientifically?

Commonly, expired drugs are immobilised in a solid block within a plastic or steel drum. After filling these substances into the drum to about 75 percent of the capacity, the drum is filled with a mixture of lime, cement and water in appropriate proportion. The sealed drums are placed at the base of the landfill and covered with a fresh municipal solid waste.

 Also, products are removed from the package and are then ground and made a paste with a mixture of water, cement and lime. Then they are taken to landfill and decanted into normal urban waste. Liquid medicines like syrups, intravenous fluids are flushed into the sewer after dilution.