4 days ago
Instead of pharmacist, cashier dispensed medicine at PGI pharmacy, committee report confirms
An internal inquiry conducted by a four-member committee of PGI, Chandigarh, has revealed serious lapses in medicine dispensing protocols at the institute's Amrit and Generic pharmacy. A complaint filed by a Panchkula resident alleged that the wrong medicine was dispensed at higher rates and by unqualified staff.
The report confirms that a cashier, not a pharmacist, handed over the medicine in question on February 18, 2024. As per the inquiry findings, the pharmacist on duty was away in the washroom when the incident happened. The cashier admitted to dispensing the medicine (Dtoin) without verifying any prescription, and the committee noted that the bill was generated without recording the patient's name, which is against standard procedures.
The complainant stated that his driver had gone to collect the medicine with a message detailing the required drug. However, the committee found discrepancies. The original message was never produced despite multiple reminders, making it difficult to verify what prescription was shown at the counter. Interestingly, while the cash memo and physical medicine matched, the prescription mentioned a different drug (Drotin), raising further doubts.
The committee concluded that due to a lack of the actual message by showing which medicine was dispensed, it cannot be established that wrong dispensing was done. The report noted that the medicine was dispensed by a cashier, which is a serious issue and initiation of necessary action has been recommended against the pharmacy. The report also stated that comparing the rates of medicines with online prices was beyond their scope. This incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for stricter monitoring of outsourced pharmacy services in government hospitals, to ensure patient safety and accountability.
