BJP slams Nitish Govt over shortage of medicines, says patients were "left at the mercy of God"

Patna, Apr 17: Opposition BJP today slammed Nitish Kumar government for alleged short supply of medicines, including life saving ones, in government hospitals as a result poor patients were "left at the mercy of God".

As BJP member Prem Kumar raised the issue during Zero Hour, soon Leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav and other party MLAs rose from their seats and assailed the government. BJP MLAs also trooped into the Well of the House and raised anti-government slogans.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shrawan Kumar accused the BJP of creating scenes every day for publicity and said when the government was ready to answer each and every question of the opposition what was the point of creating din.

Later, the Opposition leader told reporters in his chamber that health arrangements had a major casualty of government's "misrule". He accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of busy in Janata Parivar merger and "sacrificing governance" due to over engagement in politics.

Yadav said the NDA government had taken a decision to provide 33 medicines free of cost to patients in OPD and 112 in indoor in hospitals. These included basic medicines like anti-biotics, anti-rabbies, for fever and cold and cough. But, latest report submitted by civil surgeons to the Health Secretary showed abysmal shortage of medicines and termed the situation as "alarming".

He claimed the report suggested that only 7 medicines were available, both indoor and OPD in Bettiah, 16 in Jehanabad, 24 in Nalanda and 26 in Rohtas district.

Yadav said reports suggested that in Phulwarisharif in outskirt of Patna in the condition of shortage of medicines patients were being administered injection against the disease.

"The government seems unconcerned and have left poor at the mercy of God," he said.

Earlier, in a short notice question JD(U) member Izhar Ahmad asked the government about steps taken against sale of fake medicines in the state.

Health Minister Ramdhani Singh said whenever such complaints had come, strong action was taken. Dissatisfied with the reply, BJP members rose from the seat and assailed the government for glossing over the matter. On this Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary instructed the matter be referred to Calling Attention committee of the Assembly.

PTI