Distributors warn to stop supply of medicines from 13th January, if bills are not cleared
Mumbai – For the last 4 months Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not paid medicine bills of Rs 120 crore to the medicine suppliers of Medical Colleges, Suburban Hospitals and Hospitals. As a result, the suppliers are in financial difficulties. They have threatened BMC that they would stop supplying medicines from 13th January, if bills are not cleared urgently.
1. Last year, BMC had announced zero prescriptions policy at Medical Colleges, Suburban Hospitals, Maternity Hospitals and Hospitals, but it was not implemented.
2. For lack of funds, the zero-prescription policy kept getting postponed. Consequently, the payment of approximately Rs 120 crore is due for last 4 months to the medicines supplied to the Hospitals. The policy included availability of medicines in the Civic Hospitals itself, so that there is no need to buy from outside.
3. Despite repeated follow ups the bill payments have not been approved by the administration. It has created financial crisis for the medicine suppliers.
4. Sanjay Kurhade, the Deputy Commissioner of the BMC health department has written to BMC Commissioner and administrator Bhushan Gagarani of BMC and to health department officials, to approve the medicine distributors’ payment urgently.
Editorial PerspectivePublic must know the reason for unpaid bills for 4 months. |