Warangal: Medical cartel runs the show at MGMH

Warangal: Cartels run the show in State-run hospitals. The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital (MGMH), the lifeline of north Telangana, is also no exception with a cartel of doctors, pharma firms, medical officials and politicians ruling the roost.

It's a deadly and invincible combo indeed. Even though the whistle-blowers like Bakka Judson were vociferous against the establishment to clean the mess in the hospitals, it remained a cry in the wilderness. Judson who recently knocked the door of CBI to probe into the alleged irregularities taking place in the Directorate of Public Health & Family Welfare spoke to The Hans India.

Judson who belongs to Warangal pointed out the medical scam that runs into crores of rupees in the MGMH. "Healthcare to poor even in the State-run hospitals has become a mirage with the MGMH authorities siphoning off the funds meant for the free supply of medicines.

The government supplies medicines worth Rs 8 crore to the MGMH every year in four quarters through Telangana State Medical Services & Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMSIDC). However, citing various reasons, the authorities do not ensure the supply of all medicines to the MGMH. Taking advantage of this, the MGMH officials purchase medicines from a few pharmaceutical companies directly in the name of emergency needs. This is where the medical mafia comes into picture supplying medicines through benami agencies that quote increased prices.

The cartel running the show manage officials, pharma firms, doctors, pharmacists and storekeepers etc besides paying hefty to the local politicians. Dr V Chandrasekhar who noticed he scam during his tenure as the MGMH Superintendent had lodged a complaint with the HMFW Department Principal Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi. Later, Rizvi who found irregularities through an inquiry committee directed the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare (PH&FW) Dr G Srinivas Rao to transfer the Grade-II pharmacist Premsagar, administrative officer E Madhusudan Rao, pharmacy supervisor AU Khan and grade-II pharmacist in the Central Drug Stores K Sharath Babu.

Despite Rizvi's orders, no action was taken. Against this backdrop, Judson took the issue to the notice of the Vigilance Commissioner KR Nandan and Rizvi, following which the Director of PH&FW transferred Madhusudan Rao to Nizamabad and AU Khan to Adilabad. While Sharath Babu continues to hold his post, Premsagar was posted to Geesukonda, a suburban village of Warangal. The irony is such that the authorities removed Dr Chandrasekhar from his Superintendent post who fought for transparency in the administration, Judson said.