Raipur, February 18, 2013
Holding health minister Amar Agrawal responsible for use of duplicate and substandard medicines in government’s Durg and Bagbahra eye camps, Congress on Monday asked him to step down on moral grounds.
“The National Drug Laboratory (NDL) Kolkata has confirmed that duplicate medicines were used in and Bagbahra eye camp. It had earlier revealed that duplicate drugs were used in Balod eye camp. The health minister was expected to take prompt action after NDL rung alarm bell with Balod test report. This is irresponsible behaviour. Either he should resign or the chief minister must sack him,” said Congress spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla.
“Over hundred patients lost their eyesight due to use of duplicate and substandard medicines in Balod, Kawardha, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund, Janjgir-Champa eye camps. About five died due to infection after cataract surgery. This government is impassive. Agrawal has no right to hold the health minister’s profile,” he said.
He pointed that the action against low ranked employees into use of duplicate drugs was not enough and the government needed to take punish the actual guilty persons.
“To enhance health facilities in the state, the Centre provides it abundant fund under National Blindness Control Programme and National Rural Health Mission, but the money goes to corrupt hands,” he alleged.
Claiming that duplicate drug racket had expanded its branches to government hospitals too, he said if tested majority of medicines in such hospitals would be found duplicate and substandard.
“The Centre has given Rs four crore to the state government to establish modern drug laboratory but the latter was stalling it because it fears of being exposed,” he said.
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