Tue Dec 10 16:16:20 UTC 2024: ## Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation Criticized in CAG Report for Drug Supply Deficiencies
**Chennai, December 10, 2024** – A scathing report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has revealed significant deficiencies in the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNSMC)’s operations. The report, tabled in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday, highlights issues ranging from the supply of expired drugs to inadequate quality control measures.
The audit, covering the period 2016-2021, found that 185 suppliers provided 1,447 drugs manufactured more than 30 days before supply, resulting in Rs. 11.12 crore worth of expired medication in stock. While some expired drugs were replaced, the TNSMC failed to adequately hold suppliers accountable for delays. The report also criticized the corporation’s lax quality control system, noting that 13,922 cases of drugs stored for over six months went untested. Furthermore, suppliers were not blacklisted in 14 out of 19 instances where drugs failed quality control tests multiple times.
The CAG also flagged serious lapses in the handling of “Stop Issue” orders for drugs failing quality tests. Despite such orders, 15.92 lakh units of 17 drugs worth Rs. 16.02 lakh were distributed to healthcare facilities. This included 330 instances of Inj Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate alone. The report concludes that these failures led to hospitals dispensing substandard drugs to patients.
Additional deficiencies included under-maintained equipment despite existing annual maintenance contracts and the prolonged non-installation of newly procured medical equipment due to improper needs assessments. The TNSMC’s response, citing penalties instead of blacklisting suppliers, was deemed insufficient by the CAG, who noted a lack of rigorous enforcement of quality control policies. The report has raised serious concerns about the efficacy and safety of the drug supply chain in Tamil Nadu.
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