Calcutta, Feb. 27: The government today cautioned the chief medical officers of health in the districts against excess and unnecessary purchase of drugs and equipment by hospitals.

Senior health officials said the medical officers have been asked to strictly adhere to the allotted limit of funds at their disposal while buying medicine and hospital equipment.

Director of health services Prabhakar Chatterjee said it had come to the notice of the department that several hospitals had overshot their limit of funds, resulting in huge amounts of outstanding dues.

“We have also seen that in many cases orders for repair and maintenance of hospital equipment are placed beyond allotted funds. This is putting the department in massive debts. This has to stop,” he said while referring to the crunch in the government.