In a blistering press conference in Bengaluru, Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra on Wednesday exposed what he called a deep-rooted corruption racket in the state’s drug procurement, holding the Siddaramaiah government squarely responsible for medicine shortages crippling public healthcare.
Government hospitals and medical colleges are reeling from a lack of vital drugs, a crisis Vijayendra attributes to ministerial negligence and undue influence from a Mangaluru-based private figure, Wahab Khan. ‘This individual’s grip has destroyed our procurement system,’ he thundered, detailing how contracts are being fragmented to enable graft.
Tender participation has plummeted, Vijayendra explained, as firms balk at exorbitant commission demands of 15-20%. Drugs are procured at triple the market price, he alleged, challenging Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to justify awarding tenders to one favored entity.
The fallout extends to frontline workers: 108 ambulance personnel endure eight to nine months without pay, pushing them to the streets in protest alongside frustrated doctors. Vijayendra decried the absence of medicines forcing the poor to private outlets and accused the government of sabotaging PM Modi’s Jan Aushadhi Kendra initiative for political gain.
A staggering 143 crore dues to a private diagnostic firm have halted CT and MRI services, hitting vulnerable groups like expectant mothers hardest. ‘The administration prioritizes touts over people,’ Vijayendra charged, slamming the CM for evading accountability and finger-pointing at past governments.
With unparalleled budgetary experience, Siddaramaiah must step up, the BJP leader demanded, calling for genuine governance over rhetoric to alleviate the health sector’s woes and restore faith in public healthcare.