‘Fake’ medicine row: BJP demands sacking of Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, Congress calls for probe

PTI, Dec 23, 2023, 6:14 PM IST

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj (Source: @Saurabh_MLAgk /X)

New Delhi: The Delhi BJP on Saturday demanded the sacking of Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged supply of drugs that failed quality standard tests in Delhi government hospitals.

The Delhi Congress said it is a ”serious matter” and action should be taken against the culprits after an investigation.

Addressing a press conference, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva blamed the Aam Aadmi Party government for the situation.

”We have the lab and vigilance report. The samples of the medicines being provided in the Delhi government hospitals have failed. We demand that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal immediately sack his health minister,” Sachdeva said.

Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said that the investigation should be completed swiftly.

He emphasised that the issue of substandard medicines is not just a matter of corruption as it puts people’s lives at risk.

”Those responsible for this should face strict action,” he said.

Reacting to the development, Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely demanded the setting up of a medical board to look into the issue.

”It is a serious problem and a probe must be conducted… A medical board should be constituted by the government so that other medicines can also be tested and action should be taken against those found guilty, he said.

Raj Niwas officials on Saturday said that Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged procurement and supply of ”fake” drugs in Delhi government hospitals.

In a note to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, the Lt Governor mentioned that it is concerning that these medicines are being given to lakhs of patients, they said.

”It is with a sense of deep concern that I have perused the file. I am, to say the least, anguished at the fact that lakhs of hapless people and patients are being supplied fake drugs that have failed quality standard tests,” read the note to Kumar.

These drugs, procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under the Delhi Health Services (DHS), were supplied to Delhi government hospitals and may also have been supplied to the ”Mohalla Clinics’, the Lt Governor said in his note.

There were complaints of sub-standard medicines being supplied in Delhi government hospitals. Subsequently, samples were collected from the government hospitals, the Raj Niwas officials said.