Government Medical College searched by CBI sleuths

Puducherry: The Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital at Kathirgamam was recently searched by the sleuths from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following complaints, of alleged irregularities in the purchase of equipment during the previous AINRC regime.

A seven-member team from the CBI searched the administrative block, verifying the files and documents related to purchase of equipment and the appointment of staff in the college. The search began at 11 a.m. and was on till late evening.

Vital documents related to the Centac admission for 2017-18 in which the CBI had already registered a case against five senior officials were rummaged for by the search team.

Serious lacunae had been found in the administration of the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute and Hospital (IGMCRI) by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG) which had ended up in leading to infrastructural shortcomings, inadequate staff, and non-availability of essential drugs, reports The Hindu.

The performance audit, for the period between 2011-16, revealed that the Perunthalaivar Kamaraj Medical College Society, running the college, in connivance with the general hospital, had misquoted actual bed strength figures to the MCI for annual renewals approvals.

The society had borrowed beds along with manpower from the general hospital to meet up to annual renewal criterion.

only 145 of the prescribed 348 drugs for a tertiary care hospital were purchased; of which approximately a 100 were always out of stock. Nurses being short in number created poor healthcare facilities at the hub.

778 unqualified multi-purpose workers were employed without government approval in core service areas such as operation theatres, wards and laboratories, posing high risks to patient lives, reported the CAG document.