In a shocking revelation during recent inspections, Palamu deputy commissioner Sameera S has exposed severe mismanagement of medicines and medical equipment across multiple government health facilities in the district.
Critical Lapses in Medicine Management Uncovered
During her visit to the Paton community health centre, DC Sameera S discovered poor maintenance of stock registers for medicines and medical equipment. The situation was so dire that officials had no proper records of medicine receipts or their distribution to patients.
"Nobody knows or has any idea about the receipt of the consignment of the lot of medicines and its supply at the counter for the usage of the patients," the deputy commissioner stated, highlighting the complete breakdown in accountability.
Vaccine Safety and Expiry Concerns Emerge
The inspection revealed alarming issues with the maintenance of cold chains for life-saving vaccines used in immunization programs. Two cold chains were found not linked to GPS, raising serious concerns about the efficacy and safety of vaccines being administered to the public.
Deputy development commissioner Md Jawed Hussain brought attention to another critical issue, stating that medicines stocked at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Garee Khas and Gariyadeeh are about to expire in the coming weeks.
Additional collector Kundan Kumar, who visited Kishunpur primary health centre, confirmed similar problems, noting that many medicines are scheduled to expire in December, indicating widespread medication wastage across the district's healthcare facilities.
Systemic Issues in Healthcare Supply Chain
Palamu civil surgeon Dr Anil Kumar Sriwastwa explained the standard medicine distribution process: "Medicines come first to the office of the civil surgeon's office from the state health department. Next, it goes to the community health centre and sub-divisional hospital, and from there, it goes to the primary health centre and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs."
The inspection also identified infrastructure challenges affecting healthcare accessibility. DDC Hussain reported that there is no access road to Ayushman Arogya Mandir at Gariyadeeh, prompting the DC to direct officials to explore land options for constructing a proper road to this vital health facility.
The scale of the problem is significant, with 18 government health facilities operating in Paton block alone, all potentially affected by similar management and supply chain issues that compromise patient care and medication safety.
