Punjab health, rural departments row over Rs 20 crore dues

CHANDIGARH: There seems to be no end in sight to the plight of people in rural areas of Punjab as the state’s health department has refused to supply medicines to dispensaries run by the rural development and panchayat department.
The health department has taken the step after the rural development department failed to clear the outstanding dues to the tune of over Rs 20 crore on account of medicines procured and supplied by Punjab health system corporation (PHSC) to the dispensaries in the rural areas.In May this year, the corporation had expressed its inability to provide required medicines until the dues were cleared.

In a communication sent to the rural department on August 21, PHSC asked it to make own arrangements for medicines. The corporation supplied a list of firms from where the rural department could purchase required medicines along with the rate list.
5-member panel to work out medicine purchase modalities
The rural dispensaries started facing shortage of medicines from last year and the stock was replenished only on a couple of occasions. As no corrective measure was taken, majority of these dispensaries are even without basic medicines for fever, cold and painkillers at present, causing great inconvenience to people.
Amit Kumar, PHSC managing director, told TOI that they were forced to take this decision due to the outstanding amount which was not cleared despite repeated requests.
To take stock of the situation, the rural department held a meeting on Thursday under the chairmanship of director, rural department, and the issue was discussed in detail. A five-member committee has been formed to work out the modalities for purchasing medicines.
A senior official of the rural department rued that the people in rural areas will continue to suffer for at least couple more months. “Shortlisting the firms and getting the mandatory approvals is a timeconsuming process,” said the official.
Taking a dig at the government, Amulya Nidhi, national co-convenor Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, said Punjab is shifting away from the centralized model of purchases, which is in place in other states. “Nonpayment of dues is an administrative problem which should have been resolved. Asking two departments to purchase medicines separately will do no good,” said Nidhi.