Supply of 'fake' drugs in Delhi govt hospitals: LG recommends CBI inquiry
AAP demands action against officials
New Delhi, Dec 23: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged supply of drugs that "failed quality standard tests" and have the "potential of endangering lives" in Delhi government hospitals, Raj Niwas officials said on Saturday.
Reacting to the development, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that after assuming office, he had directed an audit of the medicines procured, but no action was taken by the Health Secretary. He also demanded the suspension of the bureaucrat and other officials concerned.
Delhi BJP, however, demanded the sacking of the Delhi health minister over the matter.
The Raj Niwas officials said that 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.
"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.
"Tested by government as well as private analysts/ laboratories as per rules and statutory provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, these have failed and are categorised as 'Not of Standard Quality'," he said.
Saxena, in his note, also said that "these drugs procured by spending huge budgetary resources are a grave threat to public health and safety" and have the "potential of endangering lives of people".
"Prima facie, apart from CPA-DHS, GNCTD, there are suppliers, manufacturers situated in other states and drug controllers in those states associated in this whole exercise," he said.
The Lt Governor said accordingly, as proposed at "Para 35, since the matter of 'Mohalla Clinics' is already entrusted to the CBI, this case, which may, inter alia, also involve the supply of these failed 'Not of Standard Quality' drugs to such clinics, may also be entrusted to the central agency, especially in light of the fact that the investigation therein involves multi inter-state stakeholders including CPA- DHS, GNCTD, suppliers/dealers, manufacturers in other states and other state agencies".
The Directorate of Vigilance had submitted a report on the matter.
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.
In a series of posts on X, Bharadwaj demanded the suspension of errant officials. "I joined on 9.3.2023, gave directions dated 21.3.2023 for audit of Medicines procured through CPA or otherwise. No action by Health Secretary.
"Again action taken report sought from Health Secretary dated 24.7.2023. However, no response came from Health Secretary. Procurement of medicines comes under DGHS and dept head is Health Secretary. 2 months back, on 23.10.2023, I recommended LG saab to suspend Health Secretary SB Deepak Kumar and DGHS. Why no action against them? At least suspend them now," he said.
Earlier, when asked about the matter on the sidelines of a press conference here, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, who is also the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Delhi state convener, told PTI that the government will come out with a detailed response.
Rai said he had not seen the details of the matter.
"The government will give its response after a detailed study. But such a system of sending matters for inquiries to the CBI has become a medium of obstructing the work of the government. Officers stop taking decisions on matters. But in this matter, the government will study it," he told PTI.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva attacked Bharadwaj.
"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.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
