Case Law Details
Court on its own motion Vs State of West Bengal and others (Calcutta High Court)
There is a need to develop a mechanism whereby wasteful expenditure on purchase of medicines in different hospitals and also the medical colleges which are not required and have to be thrown in dustbin after its expiry, need to be examined. The news pertains to one hospital in the State. There are many more and as a result, the loss also may be running into crores of rupees. The wasteful avoidable expenditure may also be on purchase of medicines which are not required at all.
Let notice of the petition be issued to the State of West Bengal through its Chief Secretary and the Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department. They shall apprise the Court about the amount spent on purchase of different medicines and other consumables in the State of West Bengal during the last five years in different hospitals and medical colleges and the amount of medicines which had to be disposed of as the same could not be utilized before their expiry date, and also whether there is any software used for monitoring the purchase, supply and utilization of medicines in different hospitals in the State to check wastage and unnecessary purchase thereof. Publication of list on the website or sending letters to different hospitals and departments, is not the solution. The entire system has to be maintained with the help of information and technology, the era in which we are living. One needs to keep in mind that taxpayers’ money of which the State is a trustee cannot be allowed to be wasted like this. The government has to plan to save the money also wherever possible. The entire mind and energy should not be used for framing the schemes to make the voters happy. This Court be also apprised of the fact as to whether all the hospitals in the State are computerized and connected to a network or not.
FULL TEXT OF THE JUDGMENT/ORDER OF CALCUTTA HIGH COURT
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