SRINAGAR; 17, May 2013: All the associated hospitals of Government Medical College Srinagar are facing acute shortage of medicines as suppliers allege that all the hospitals have become defaulters while authorities claim that shortage was due to surfacing of spurious drug scam and yet they are managing.

Unlike in Jammu, the Valley based hospitals have become defaulters and the suppliers have stopped the supply of life-saving drugs to all the hospitals associated with GMC, Sriangar.

Principal, GMC Dr Pampori told that the demand of suppliers are genuine but due to shortage of drugs patients are not suffering. “There was shortage of drugs after the surfacing of spurious drug scam. However, we have taken care of it and patients are not suffering,” he said adding that there is some liability and they have taken up the issue with the Government.

Informed sources said that Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) is facing acute shortage of anti-biotic and anti-viral drugs which includes Timentin, Vancomycin and Acyclovir etc. “Medical Superintendents of most of the hospitals are stopping payment to suppliers for their personal interests. They seek commissions from them and let patients suffer,” one of the medical employees told.

Medical Superintendent SMHS Hospital Dr Nazir Choudri said that patients are not suffering in any way because of shortage of drugs. “There was shortage but we are managing and didn’t let patients suffer. I can’t tell you the exact figure how much we owe to suppliers,” he said.

Sources said that all the hospitals including Lal Ded, SMHS, GB Panth, Psychiatric Disease Hospital, Chest Disease Hospital are facing acute shortage of medicines.