PHCs and Civil Hospitals in Himachal Pradesh Did Not Purchase Medical Equipment in One Year

Over hundreds of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Himachal Pradesh did not procure a single medical equipment in the past one year, even as the state health department spent over Rs 153 crore (Rs 153,65,63,902) on the procurement of medicines and medical equipment for medical colleges and health institutions in the given period, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed the Assembly. Divulging details, the chief minister replied that PHCs and Civil Hospitals (CHs) in Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kullu, and Shimla districts did not purchase a single piece of medical equipment in the past year.

Each district in the state has nearly 45 to 51 health institutes, including PHCs and CHs, which work under CMOs. “Of the Rs 153 crore, over Rs 80.37 crore (Rs 80,37,81,593) was spent on eight medical colleges functioning under the Department of Medical Education and Research, and over Rs 73.27 crore (Rs 73,27,82,309) on 25 health institutions under Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) in all 12 districts and Senior Medical Officers,” Sukhu informed the House through a written reply to a question of Congress MLA Kewal Singh Pathania.

On March 11, Pathania asked, “Can the chief minister clarify how much expenditure was incurred by the department on the procurement of medicines and medical equipment for state medical colleges and health institutions till February 20, 2025, and divulge the names of medical colleges and health institutions provided with these medicines and medical equipment?” “Rs 10.58 crore was spent on medicines and Rs 5.57 crore on medical equipment in eight medical colleges, including Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla. Rs 47,01,428 was spent on medicines and Rs 3.33 crore on medical equipment by AIMSS Chamiana in Shimla.

Additionally, Rs 27 lakh was spent on medical equipment by Government Dental College, Shimla. Rs 4.59 crore was spent on medicines and Rs 1.72 crore on equipment by Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Mandi. The CM also provided reports of significant funds allocated to other colleges: “Around Rs 4 crore was spent on medicines and medical equipment by Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur.” He detailed that “Rs 3.50 crore was spent on medicines and equipment by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College, Chamba.” The statistics revealed troubling trends within the medical procurement processes within state educational facilities.

In total, 33 medical institutes, including eight medical colleges and several CMOs and Medical Superintendents, procured medicines worth Rs 130 crore and equipment worth Rs 23.42 crore in the past one year. Further discussions and inquiries are crucial for enhancing transparency in the state’s health expenditure and infrastructure.