Poor quality drugs: NHRC notice to Health Secy, AIIMS director

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued notices to the union health secretary and the director of AIIMS, New Delhi over the issue of poor quality life-saving drugs and sought a report within four weeks.

NHRC took suo motu cognizance of media reports stating that the Anaesthesiology Department Head of AIIMS had written a letter to the Medical Superintendent complaining about poor quality of life-saving drugs provided by the hospital.

‘Content of the press report, if true, raises a serious issue of violation of human rights of patients...,’ observed the commission.

In her letter to the Medical Superintendent, head of the Anaesthesiology Department Chandralekha said due to poor quality drugs her husband suffered reactions, and requested the authority to withdraw and stop purchase of such spurious life-saving drugs in the interest of patients’ safety.

She also asked the Medical Superintendent to review stock of life-saving drugs which are used in emergency situations quite often.

As per the letter, Chandralekha’s husband recently developed severe urticaria all over the body after consuming some drugs from the hospital’s store. As his condition worsened, he was prescribed heavy doses of anti-allergic drugs. The treatment went on for five days.

‘Despite giving such heavy doses of anti-allergic drugs, response to the treatment was not satisfactory, rather negligible,’ she said in her letter. In view of this, the treatment was reviewed and it was decided to stop one of the tablets and change the brand and a new drug was purchased from the market, she said, adding that after that his condition started showing improvement.

‘The problem could be detected just because we are living on the campus with a pool of doctors around us, watching patients personally,’ Chandralekha said.

She also said that ‘such spurious life-saving drugs should be withdrawn and banned immediately.’