BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 3rd October 2023: In a shocking incident, Madhupur Primary Health Center is under scrutiny for allegedly dispensing expired medicines to patients. The incident came to light when Sabis Debbarma, suffering from fever, was prescribed azithromycin by an attending doctor on Tuesday.
Remarkably, the medication provided had expired long ago, raising questions about the hospital’s oversight. The nurse on duty administered the expired medicine to the patient, oblivious to its expiration status. It was only when Debbarma’s relative attempted to purchase a fresh prescription that the drug store owner noticed the discrepancy.
The hospital authorities were alerted after this revelation, prompting swift action from the medical officer in charge, Parmita Biswas. Birajit Sen, a multipurpose worker in the area, was dispatched to retrieve the expired medicine from Debbarma’s residence, just minutes before reporters arrived.
Dr. Jyotirmoy Das, the Sub-Divisional Health Officer, assured that immediate action was taken upon receiving the news. However, the Sub-Divisional Health Officer appeared to downplay the severity of the situation, suggesting that the ingestion of one or two expired medicines posed no significant risk. He further indicated that the nurse responsible for the oversight would face disciplinary measures.
This incident has ignited concerns regarding the maintenance of pharmaceutical inventory within government hospitals, prompting questions about potential attempts to conceal the matter. It raises critical issues about patient safety and accountability within the healthcare system.
