Officers told to withdraw expired medicine from Belagavi hospital

The Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital.

Upalokayukta B. Veerappa has directed Health Department officers to withdraw all expired medicine from the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital.

During a surprise visit to the teaching hospital of the government medical college here on Thursday, he found that the in-house pharmacy is dispensing with expired drugs to patients.

Lokayukta officials brought this fact to his attention. One of the officials pointed out that expired vaccines are being given even for rabies patients.

They found medicine worth lakhs of rupees that bore a date that was beyond the use-by limit.

The Upalokayukta expressed displeasure over the presence of expired medicine in the pharmacy and asked officers to see that they are removed.

He asked the officers to conduct a comprehensive survey of all medicine stock and submit a report. He told them to take action against those responsible for the situation.

He examined the registration counters, the availability of clean drinking water and gathered information regarding the medical staff.

He went around various wings, including the In-patient Department, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the Obstetrics/Maternity Department.

He interacted with admitted patients to inquire about the treatment they are receiving, advised them to consume nutritious food and offered words of encouragement for speedy recovery.

He also directed the medical officers to provide immediate treatment to an injured patient who was waiting for some time.

The Upalokayukta inspected the registration process in the Out-patient Department (OPD) and gathered feedback from patients regarding the hospital’s functioning.

He visited the out-patient medicine distribution counters and instructed that the number of such distribution points be increased.

He asked doctors not to seek or accept money from patients or their attendants and desist from prescribing medicine to be purchased from outside sources.

The Lokayukta officers visited the BIMS blood bank and inspected stock of blood.

Superintendent of Police Prasanna Desai, BIMS Director Vinay Dastikoppa, District Health and Family Welfare Officer I.P. Gadad and others were present.