Thiruvananthapuram, 10 September (H.S.):The Keralam government has abolished the Quality Control wing of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited and transferred responsibility for testing medicines procured by the corporation to the Drugs Control Department.

Health and Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan announced the decision on Thursday, describing it as a step to strengthen quality assurance and bring greater transparency to the scrutiny of medicines supplied to government institutions.

The move follows reports that medicines worth crores of rupees purchased and distributed through KMSCL had recently been found to be substandard. Concerns had also been raised about the corporation’s own Quality Control wing examining medicines procured by KMSCL, as the arrangement created a potential conflict of interest and could leave room for corruption and other irregularities.

Under the revised system, medicines purchased through KMSCL will be inspected and subjected to the required quality tests by the Drugs Control Department before they are supplied to government hospitals and other public institutions. The change separates procurement from quality verification and places testing under an independent statutory regulator.

The Drugs Control Department already has the authority, technical expertise and regulatory powers needed to monitor medicine quality. However, the department is facing a staff shortage that could affect its ability to complete inspections within the prescribed period.

To address the shortage, the government has authorised the temporary appointment of additional personnel on a contract basis. The extra staff will support inspections and help ensure that testing is completed efficiently and on schedule.

Muraleedharan has also written to the Principal Secretary of the Health Department, drawing attention to the concerns surrounding the existing system and stressing the need for a stronger quality-assurance mechanism. The government expects the revised arrangement to improve oversight and ensure that medicines reaching patients through public healthcare institutions meet the required safety and quality standards.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman