The Maharashtra Health Department will soon establish a dedicated flying squad to curb the supply of duplicate and substandard medicines in government hospitals across the state.
Flying Squad to Conduct Surprise Checks
The new squad, led by a special officer, will carry out surprise inspections at government-run hospitals and primary health centres. Equipped with modern drug detection machines already procured by the state, the team will be able to test medicine quality on the spot.
If any medicines are found below prescribed standards, criminal cases will be filed against the responsible officials, suppliers, and manufacturing companies.
Recent incidents involving counterfeit and low-quality medicines supplied to hospitals in Bhiwandi, Nanded, and other areas have triggered serious concerns within the Health Department.
Health Minister Abitkar Announces Stringent Measures
“The Health Department has taken this issue seriously and decided to conduct surprise inspections in government hospitals. A special officer will be appointed and a flying squad formed to carry out quality checks with advanced machines,” said Health Minister Prakash Abitkar while addressing the media at Arogya Bhavan in Mumbai.
Abitkar added that a series of proposals will be tabled during the upcoming winter session of the Assembly to plug loopholes and make the Health Department more transparent and patient-friendly.
Legal Action for Substandard Drug Supply
Emphasizing the crackdown on counterfeit medicines, Abitkar said, “A team of senior officials along with the flying squad will inspect hospitals under the Health Department, Medical Education Department, municipal corporations, and municipal councils. If sub-standard medicines are found, strict legal action will be taken against those responsible.”
Highlighting recent lapses, the minister revealed that around 1.5 lakh substandard antibiotic tablets were detected at the Nanded Government Hospital during an FDA inspection, leading to FIRs against eight health officials, including the District Health Officer. He warned that similar action would be taken in future cases.
Reforms Under the Bombay Nursing Act
Meanwhile, Abitkar said that the state is also considering relaxing certain provisions under the Bombay Nursing Act that govern the licensing of small hospitals. Currently, many hospitals face difficulties in meeting complex compliance norms related to fire safety and staffing. Reforms will soon be introduced to simplify these requirements, he added.
