Attendants at the drug distribution centre of NMCH on Tuesday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Neelam Kumari did not get amoxicillin at the drug distribution store of the outpatient department of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Tuesday.

Apart from the non-availability of medicines at PMCH, The Telegraph discovered a similar situation at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH). A senior official of Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Limited said they had stopped purchasing medicines after the drug scam surfaced.

“Now, I would have to buy amoxicillin from a private store as I did not find it here,” said Neelam.

At NMCH, Ramesh Kumar Pandey, said he did not find clonazepam (to treat seizures and panic disorders), while one Suresh Prasad said he failed to get diovol syrup.

The person manning the drug store at PMCH said there were 18 medicines available out of 64 essential drugs. At NMCH, the list was no better with 24 drugs available.

Sources said the senior officials of the corporation (who have been found guilty in the scam according to the K.K. Singh inquiry report) were not showing interest in purchases.

As a result, government hospitals are facing shortage of medicines. PMCH deputy superintendent Dr Sudhanshu admitted that supply of medicines had been affected after the scam surfaced. NMCH superintendent Dr Santosh Kumar, however, admitted that there was a shortage of medicines as there was no fresh delivery. “The corporation has stopped providing us medicines since the drug scam surfaced. We are facing problems owing to this because our stocks are getting exhausted. According to rules, only the corporation is entitled to purchase drugs for government hospitals,” said Santosh.

R.P. Ojha, additional secretary, health, claimed there was no directive from the department that the corporation could not purchase drugs.

“A probe is on but the corporation can purchase drugs. The corporation has been asked not to purchase drugs which have been banned.”

Ojha said the health department had enough medicines in stock and when needed, the corporation would purchase medicines. Ojha denied there was shortage of medicines in government hospitals and that the corporation had stopped purchasing drugs.

Apart from the city, a dozen diabetic patients returned disappointed a week back after they failed to get free insulin shots at the special outdoor ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur.