Expired, unused medicines worth lakhs found on district hospital rooftop
Indore: Several cartons and bags full of expired and unused medicines, estimated to be worth lakhs of rupees, were found lying on the terrace of Indore district hospital by a team of the district administration during a surprise inspection on Friday.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The expired drugs included expensive medicines for the treatment of Covid-19, injections, antibiotics, cough syrups, and anti-allergic pills, among others. They were found lying in the open in an unsanitary condition on the rooftop of the district hospital's medicine store.
A team led by additional district magistrate Rajendra Raghuvanshi conducted a surprise inspection at the district hospital following complaints about expired and unused medicines lying in poor condition on the rooftop.
Indore collector Asheesh Singh said, "An inspection was carried out on Friday in the district hospital where stockpiles of medicines were found, and the ADM will submit a report on May 24."
Officials part of the inspecting team said some drugs passed their shelf life in 2024, but many batches were still usable with expiry dates extending to 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028. They said many of these medicines were manufactured in 2022 and 2023, suggesting they were never dispatched and may have been neglected or mishandled.
Chief medical and health officer Dr BS Setia said, "The medicines on the rooftop are expired and not used for treatment. The quantity is huge, so it is lying on the rooftop as we do not have storage capacity for such large stocks. These drugs were procured during the second and third waves of Covid."
Setia said a committee was set up in Dec to prepare a report on discarding these medicines after thorough valuation and examination, but they still have not submitted the report, in the absence of which the medicines could not be discarded.
"Corrective steps will be taken upon receiving the report by the committee, which is expected in 4-8 days," said Setia.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
3 hours ago
- Mint
Indias biotech sector grew nearly fivefold in past decade: DBT Secretary
New Delhi, Jun 23 (PTI) India's biotechnology sector has expanded rapidly in the past decade, with its bioeconomy growing from USD 35.5 billion in 2014 to USD 165.7 billion in 2024, according to Rajesh S Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT). He said the sector is now aiming for a USD 300 billion target by 2030, as scientific advances begin to translate into industrial and public health gains. "Biotechnology is no longer a fringe discipline, it's now a strategic driver for India's economic and health priorities," Gokhale said at a press conference highlighting 11 years of DBT's achievements. Among the standout initiatives is GenomeIndia, a nationwide effort to sequence the genomes of 10,000 individuals from 99 population groups, he said. The data, released earlier this year, is expected to inform personalised medicine and help researchers develop diagnostics tailored to Indian populations. Gokhale also highlighted India's first in-human gene therapy trial using a lentiviral vector for Severe Hemophilia A. India's vaccine response, Gokhale said, demonstrated the capacity of the DBT-backed innovation ecosystem. Under "Mission COVID Suraksha", five COVID-19 vaccines developed with DBT support received emergency approvals, including GEMCOVAC-19, the world's first thermostable mRNA vaccine. Other products include the intranasal COVID-19 vaccine and CERVAVAC, India's first indigenous quadrivalent HPV vaccine, now part of the National Immunization Programme, according to document shared at the briefing. Indian scientists contributed to decoding the complex genome of bread wheat, a global staple crop, and published a reference genome with 94 per cent coverage. Other research showed how Mycobacterium tuberculosis can infect liver cells and undermine TB treatment efficacy, while a study on taurine levels suggested amino acid may influence aging. Gokhale said India's biotech startup landscape has changed dramatically, with over 10,000 startups now in the sector, up from a few hundred a decade ago. Over 800 biotech products have emerged in this period. Through BIRAC, DBT has helped set up 95 bio-incubators across 21 states. Infrastructure investments include India's first dedicated biomanufacturing institute in Mohali and vaccine testing labs notified as Central Drug Laboratories. Speed breeding facilities have also been established to accelerate the development of climate-resilient crops. The BioE3 policy, approved by the Cabinet in 2024, is aimed at fostering high-performance biomanufacturing aligned with Net Zero targets.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
378 healthcare professionals to be deployed for Puri Rath Yatra: Minister
Bhubaneswar, In preparation for the upcoming Rath Yatra, the Odisha government has announced a series of health measures, including the deployment of 378 healthcare professionals and 265 hospital beds to ensure public safety during the annual religious event in Puri. 378 healthcare professionals to be deployed for Puri Rath Yatra: Minister Talking to reporters, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said elaborate arrangements have been made to handle medical emergencies during the festival, which draws lakhs of devotees each year. Mahaling added that in addition to 378 doctors and para-medical staff, 69 first-aid centres and 74 ambulances will be kept ready for any emergencies. Given the recent outbreak of diarrhoea, the government has taken precautions to ensure the availability of safe drinking water and prevent the sale of stale food in the town. The additional 265 hospital beds include 15 ICU beds and 100 beds at the ANM Training Centre, while the Puri District Headquarters Hospital has reserved 68 beds, including general, burn, and ICU facilities. "I hope that the Rath Yatra will be conducted smoothly with the blessings of Lord Jagannath," the minister said. The District Headquarters Hospital has reserved 68 beds, including 50 general beds, 8 burn ward beds, and 10 ICU beds, an official statement of health department said. Additionally, 200 units of blood have been reserved while two minor operation theatres along with specialised dressing rooms have been set up to handle any medical emergencies, it said. For the first time, a team of doctors from AIIMS Bhubaneswar will be stationed at medical centres in Puri to provide additional support. Similarly, a specialised 10-bed air-conditioned heat stroke centre has been established at Talabania to address weather-related health issues. "Rigorous health monitoring and disease prevention measures are in place to maintain public health standards throughout the Ratha Yatra period," the statement further said. To curb outbreak of any water or food-borne disease, a total of eight food safety officers have been assigned. All 108 emergency ambulances will remain on high alert and operate along designated corridors with the support of NGO volunteers. To prevent disease outbreaks, eight food safety officers and three mobile surveillance teams have been deployed. So far, 494 kg of unhygienic food has been destroyed after 249 inspections of food establishments. The administration has also collected 84 food samples, 22 water samples, and conducted 10 stool culture tests and 82 water analyses. An extensive information, education, and communication campaign will be undertaken to promote public health awareness covering food safety, safe drinking water practices, hand washing and hygiene protocols, ORS usage, health programs, COVID-19 prevention measures, and Ayushman Bharat Program awareness, the statement said. A dedicated Ratha Yatra control room will operate round-the-clock throughout the festival period to coordinate all health-related activities and respond to emergencies. The control room can be reached at mobile number 91 6370560247 and landline number 06752-222175 for any medical assistance or information. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Economic Times
8 hours ago
- Economic Times
Amazon, not the first, nor the last to attempt disruption. 5 diagnostics stocks: From downside forecast, to upside as high as 67%
Just a couple of weeks back, there were headlines about rising Covid cases in Southeast Asian countries. And alarm bells started ringing in India. Almost in step with this development, a domestic diagnostic stock again came into the limelight, with some reports mentioning how the company is getting ready for another surge in Covid. Fortunately, there was no surge of cases in India. And there certainly was no panic. So, it is probably good that FONT SIZE SAVE PRINT COMMENT
