Shortage of essential medicines, equipment at govt hospitals: CAG, Pg4

Key Highlights:

• CAG audit reveals systemic gaps in drug availability, procurement, and quality control in Delhi government hospitals.
• Hospitals procured 33-47% of essential drugs independently between 2016-17 and 2021-22 due to CPA inefficiencies.
• Lok Nayak Hospital faced medicine shortages, impacting timely patient care.
• Essential Drugs List (EDL) not updated annually, and no Delhi State Formulary since 1994.
• Only 28% of 86 CPA tenders for medical equipment were awarded, causing shortages.
• Drugs distributed before quality testing, raising quality assurance concerns.
• Delhi Health department promises annual EDL updates, a new State Formulary in six months, and CPA revamp.

Detailed Insights:

• The audit highlights that hospitals were forced to rely on local chemists for routine drug requirements due to the CPA's failure to supply medicines listed under the Essential Drugs List (EDL) despite demand.
• Shortages of essential medicines and critical equipment were noted in ICUs and emergency departments, affecting the management of life-threatening conditions.
• Gaps in monitoring the repair, maintenance, and replacement of equipment further contributed to shortages across hospital departments and laboratories.
• The absence of a Delhi State Formulary since 1994 indicates a long-standing systemic policy gap affecting prescription and dispensing practices.
• The Central Procurement Agency (CPA) is being revamped to streamline procurement processes and establish a database of defaulting suppliers.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Essential Drugs List (EDL): A list of minimum medicine needs for a basic healthcare system, prioritizing the most essential and cost-effective medicines.
• Central Procurement Agency (CPA): An agency responsible for the procurement of drugs and medical equipment for government hospitals.
• Delhi State Formulary: A continually revised compilation of pharmaceuticals that reflects the current clinical judgment of a medical staff.