Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday recommended to the Lt Governor and the Centre the immediate suspension of the health secretary over the supply of "sub-standard" drugs to Delhi government hospitals.

He also demanded strict action against the former director general of the Directorate General Of Health Services (DGHS).

Addressing a press conference here, Bharadwaj said Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has not taken any firm action against the officials concerned.

He said upon assuming office in March 2023, he ordered an audit of medicines, equipment, and consumables but despite his repeated reminders to the health secretary, no action was taken.

"The health secretary did not take any notice of this and did not initiate any audit related to the procurement of medicines," the minister claimed.

Bharadwaj said in July, he sent a reminder to the senior official questioning why the orders had not been implemented and why there had been no audit of medicines and other items purchased for the Delhi government hospitals.

"Despite the reminder, the health secretary did not take any action," he alleged.

Bharadwaj said he issued orders several times to the health secretary for an audit but no action was taken.

"It is evident that I, as the minister, want transparency. If there are irregularities in the procurement of medicines, I want them to be exposed, and action to be taken against the guilty officials.

"However, it appears that the health secretary was unwilling to conduct an audit of medicines procurement, and if there were any irregularities in the procurement, he did not want them to come to light," the minister said.

He said the LG and the BJP-led Centre should take strict action against "these guilty officials".

"Shouldn't these officials be suspended? Despite continuous reminders, the health secretary has not conducted an audit, should the LG and the BJP-led government not take strict action against these guilty officials," Bharadwaj said.

"I want to know if an investigation is conducted now, will it be impartial, given that the officer responsible for the audit is himself implicated in the matter? Will the health secretary not influence the investigation?" he said.

"Before my recommendation, the LG should have suspended them," he added.

The minister pointed out that in October, in a written communication addressed to the LG through Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he had complained about the health secretary and the then director general of the DGHS.

He said that he informed the LG that these officers are deliberately trying to obstruct the essential policies of the Delhi government, especially schemes like the 'Farishtey Scheme' and other initiatives of the Health Department.

These officers have withheld funds for other such schemes, he had alleged.

"I am surprised; does the LG need my letter in order to suspend these officers. These are central government officers only, they can take action immediately. Now again I'm recommending it to the BJP-led central government," he said.

Saxena last week recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged supply of drugs that "failed quality standard tests" and had the "potential of endangering lives" to hospitals run by the city government.

The drugs that were found to be of "sub-standard quality" included critical life-saving antibiotics used for the treatment of lung and urinary tract infections -- Cephalexin -- according to officials.

They also included a steroid -- Dexamethasone -- for curing life-threatening inflammation in the lungs and joints and swelling in the body, anti-epilepsy and anti-anxiety psychiatric drug Levetiracetam and anti-hypertension drug Amlodepin, the officials said.

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