An assistant medical superintendent of Tata Memorial Hospital, Dr Rekha Batura, has been suspended for alleged misappropriation of medicines meant for cancer patients.
An assistant medical superintendent of Tata Memorial Hospital, Dr Rekha Batura, has been suspended for alleged misappropriation of medicines meant for cancer patients. Five other employees had already been suspended under same charges in last two months.
The suspension of the medical superintendent is a significant move by the administration. The scam came to light in September this year leading to suspension of Y Dikshit (chief of dispensary), Namita Deshpande, Leena Shah and PB Dhake (pharmacists).
Probe revealed the alleged involvement of other employees leading to the suspension of the dispensary department clerk Chetna Pawar in October first week.
The employees involved in the scam were stealing medicines that came in through donations. They also allegedly tampered with the supply of medicines which were given to the employees of companies who came in as patients. As the companies pay off the bills of such employees, the culprits allegedly indulged in issuing medicines to their accounts even after the patients were discharged.
Hospital sources said that the annual turnover of the dispensary was Rs75 crore and the scam could be to the tune of several lakhs. The suspended employees were allegedly hand-in-glove with suppliers in the black market.
Chief administrative officer T Ambumbani confirmed the suspension. “I can’t comment on the reason behind the suspension. I will have to go through records,” Ambumani said.
This is not the first incident where employees have been suspended for misappropriation of medicines meant for cancer patients. “Earlier, employees were found guilty of stealing medicines from the department and selling them off to chemists outside. FDA raid on one of the chemists had exposed the racket,” said sources.
g_surendra@dnaindia.net
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