Requirement assessed in 2014, supply in 2015: Audit report slams GMSH-16 for delay in purchase of treatment items

the beginning of 2014, the items were received as late as in the beginning of 2015.
The purchase section of the hospital had finalised the annual requirement of various consumable items (absorbent cotton wool, IV fluids, Ringer Lactate 500 ml, Ciprofloxacin, normal saline, Mannitol 100 ml) for use in GMSH-16 and its allied units for treatment of patients in 2014-15. The list of annual requirement of items is also given in the report.

“The records of the hospital revealed that the supplies of IV fluids were received in January 15 and February 15 that is at the end of the year and supply of absorbent cotton wool was received in July 2014 and October 2014 (late by four to six months),” mentioned the report.

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The audit mentioned that the hospital was required to prepare a time frame to avoid delay in purchase of items required in hospital for treatment of patients.

Looking at the delay in purchasing items, the audit report pointed out, “It is clear that the purchase section had not prepared any appropriate time frame for every stage of procurement of annual requirement of various items which has resulted in delay in procurement of these items and due to this health services are affected or financial burden was brought to patients.”

The report also questioned the hospital authorities on how did they manage with delay in supply of these and other consumables and why the purchase procedure was not started well in time.

Slamming the authorities for their lackadaisical attitude, the audit further stressed that poor patients visit government hospitals with a hope that they will get cheap and better treatment and it is the responsibility of the hospital administration to make sure that every problem is sorted out.

“Without timely procurement of various items used for treatment, the department concerned and hospital administration had not fulfilled its responsibility,” slammed the audit report.

On being pointed out by the audit, the department stated, “The proposals were mooted in time… The Chandigarh administration has now ordered single file system and has reverted for the purchase of two months on CPSU’s/ESI/DGSandD rate contract, which is likely to meet the basic requirement of the hospital and in future there is no likelihood of any delay. The final decision is still awaited.”

The audit , however, was not satisfied by the reply filed by the hospital.