Cuttack: In what could be termed as gross inefficiency and mismanagement on the part of health officials, 90,000 Vitamin K1 injections have expired in all government-run medical colleges, hospitals and district headquarters hospitals (DHHs) in the state from October to December, 2018.
According to sources in the Directorate of Family Welfare, around 57, 712 Vitamin K1 injections have expired in government-run hospitals in October, last year. Another 32, 350 injections have expired in December, 2018.
The Directorate of Family Welfare additional director (child health), KK Das, has sought reports from the authorities of government medical colleges and hospitals and chief district medical officers (CDMOs) by January 5.
Around 2,500 Vitamin K1 injections have expired at Sriram Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) in the Silver City here during the said time. Till date, SCBMCH authorities have failed to submit a report on the issue. There is no information regarding the submission of reports by other medical colleges, hospitals and CDMOs, sources added.
According to health experts, doctors usually administer the vitamin injection to newborns to check internal and external bleeding.
Meanwhile, the sick neonatal care unit (SNCU) at SCBMCH is allegedly facing acute shortage of Vitamin K1 injections as the Odisha State Medical Corporation (OSMC) has stopped supplying the drug. “Around 2,500 Vitamin K1 injections have expired at SCBMCH as doctors hardly order for the drug,” said an official at the hospital.
SCBMCH administrative officer Kalpataru Behera said they would soon look into the issue. On the other hand, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Postgraduate Institute of Paediatrics superintendent, Saroj Satpathy, said they can only comment on the issue after taking into account the stock of the drug at the childcare hospital.