Karnataka - Madikeri   

Inquiry sought into validity of medicines at Madikeri hospital

In action: Members of Jaya Karnataka at the District Hospital in Madikeri on Friday.

Madikeri: Members of the Jaya Karnataka association on Friday claimed that they had detected certain medicines whose validity had expired at the District Hospital here.

They alleged that such medicines were being given to the patients at the hospital.

Led by Prasanna Bhat, they barged into the women and child wing of the hospital and displayed certain medicines before presspersons that had outlived their period of validity. Validity of vials of sodium bicarbonate injections and infant feeding tubes were found to have expired recently. Mr. Bhat claimed that tablets, whose period of validity had expired, too were being given to the patients. On a check, none of the tablet strips had the dates of manufacturing and expiry. Those portions were cut and given to the patients.

Mr. Bhat demanded that the district administration initiate a thorough inquiry to ascertain the validity of medicines at the drug store of the hospital. A nurse said that she was not responsible for the validity period of the medicines supplied by the stores department. However, they gave the medicines only after verification of the expiry date, she said.

A senior doctor at the hospital said: “I am unaware of the issue.” The district surgeon was not available for comments.

A few patients complained that they were made to buy tablets from outside the hospital.

Rani, a patient, said that the hospital provided them some tablets, but not tonics and expensive medicines. Soumya, who was admitted to the hospital a week ago, said that there was no proper water supply in the Women and Child wing.

The police, who intervened, said that the members of the organisation should not have entered the hospital premises without informing them. The members filed a complaint at the Madikeri city police station.

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