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Keralam Ensures Uninterrupted Medicine Supply in Govt Hospitals Amidst Challenges
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News18•22-09-2026, 20:45
Keralam Ensures Uninterrupted Medicine Supply in Govt Hospitals Amidst Challenges
- •Keralam Health Minister K Muraleedharan announced measures to ensure continuous medicine availability in government hospitals, including speeding up supplies and permitting local purchases.
- •Delays in medicine procurement were attributed to the election model code of conduct and the ongoing war in West Asia, which affected supply chains.
- •The Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) faced tender withdrawals from companies citing difficulties due to the West Asia conflict.
- •Of 855 essential medicines, purchase orders for 664 have been placed, with 530 already delivered; the remaining 191 items have been re-tendered.
- •Despite the 'force majeure' provision extending delivery periods, KMSCL urged companies to supply medicines within 45 days, and is optimizing transfers between warehouses to prevent shortages.
Key Questions Answered
Delays in placing purchase orders were caused by the model code of conduct during the Assembly elections, and supply issues were further affected after several companies withdrew from tenders due to the ongoing war in West Asia.
The Health Minister stated that companies have been directed to expedite supplies, institutional heads can make local purchases for shortages, and the supply chain department is transferring medicines between warehouses.
The Centre invoked the ‘force majeure’ provision, which exempted suppliers from liquidated damages and extended the minimum delivery period to 100 days, though KMSCL has requested companies to supply medicines within 45 days.