Chandigarh 10th April, 2016; The PGI MTA has been receiving complaints of costly medicines / drugs and surgical items by chemists and druggists at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh.
You may have heard that in the past that the drugs/ medicines inside PGI or at Emergency Chemist shop are sold on higher rates than in Open Market. The loot of patients and public was understandable because PGI has been allotting shops at Rs. 30-70 lakhs of monthly rent / license fee excluding taxes and overhead expenses to run these shops round the clock.
But suddenly, the nexus between PGI Administration and Chemists offering 15% and 30% discounts on Medicines / Surgical Items respectively without any relief in monthly rent / license fee has been causing doubts. Most of us were surprised and smelt some foul play. Few months back, it came to notice that this nexus has managed self-styled and higher printing of Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on the medicines and surgical items sold at PGI even manufactured by same Firm with same brand name, batch no., Date of Manufacturing, Date of Expiry and Bar Coding. However, the MTA never got any conclusive and concrete proof to substantiate this huge scam and fraud with general public and patients.
A couple of days back, we have laid down our hands on two 3-Way Stop Cock with Extension Tube with Brand Name of Link – 3XT having different MRP of Rs. 300 and Rs. 450 on them. It will be observed that both 3-Way Stop Cock with Extension Tube with Brand Name of Link – 3XT has identical Article No. 1to701-10, Batch No. 1511313, Tube Length 10 CM, Mfg. Date 2015-11, Exp. Date 2020-10, Bar Coding 8-903172-003553 but both have different Maximum Retail Price of Rs. 300 and Rs. 450 respectively.
Now, we have understood that how the PGI Administration and Chemists nexus at PGI managed to offer discount of 15% and 30% with monthly rent / license fee of up to Rs. 70 lakhs per month excluding various taxes and overhead expenses.
IT WAS ONLY POSSIBLE AFTER THEY GET HIGHER M.R.P. SPECIALLY GOT PRINTED ON MEDICINES, DRUGS AND SURGICAL ITEMS TO BE SOLD AT PGI.
The PGI MTA has requested CBI, Chandigarh to probe the huge scam and fraud being played upon general public and poor and innocent patients coming for treatment at PGI. The PGI MTA has requested CBI, Chandigarh to check Invoice Books of Chemists at PGI and compare the MRP printed of same medicines / surgical items sold outside PGI.
It is unfortunate that PGI Administration has either active connivance or has turned a blind eye for greed of money and other extraneous consideration.