BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra accused the Karnataka state government of large-scale irregularities in medicine procurement, leading to shortages in government hospitals. He claimed that procurement irregularities were occurring under pressure from influential individuals, with contracts being split to enable corruption. Vijayendra also highlighted that companies were hesitant to participate in tenders due to high commission demands, causing disruptions in the medicine supply chain.
Vijayendra further alleged that a private individual, Wahab Khan from Mangaluru, controlled the state’s medicine procurement system, resulting in its collapse and hardships for underprivileged patients. He challenged Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to clarify why tenders were reportedly awarded to a single individual and why medicines were being purchased at prices three times higher than the market rate. Additionally, Vijayendra raised concerns about unpaid salaries for 108 ambulance drivers and helpers, urging immediate government intervention to address the issue.
Critiquing the state government’s management of the health sector, Vijayendra criticized the severe medicine shortages in government hospitals, forcing economically disadvantaged patients to buy medicines from private pharmacies. He also accused the government of attempting to close Jan Aushadhi centers on government hospital premises for political reasons related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Moreover, he alleged that the government had not settled dues of Rs 143 crore to a private agency offering CT scan and MRI services, leading to challenges for poor patients in accessing essential diagnostic services.
Vijayendra accused the state government of shielding middlemen and neglecting the sufferings of the impoverished while focusing on achievement ceremonies. He called upon Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Deputy Chief Minister to address the state’s critical issues instead of making false claims. Furthermore, he criticized the government for evading responsibility by blaming previous administrations for ongoing problems and urged the Chief Minister to utilize his extensive budgetary experience to tackle the state’s challenges.
