Lok Sabha Question No. 2072 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-01
Subject: Purchase of Medicines for Government Hospitals
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Jugal Kishore, Shri Chandan Chauhan, Shri Chandra Prakash Choudhary, Shri Sanatan Pandey

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2072 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01 ST AUGUST, 2025

## PURCHASE OFMEDICINES FOR GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS

## †2072. SHRI CHANDRAPRAKASH CHOUDHARY:

SHRI SANATAN PANDEY :

SHRI CHANDAN CHAUHAN :

SHRI JUGALKISHORE :

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state :

- (a) the norms prescribed by the Government for the purchase of medicines for Government hospitals in the country and the amendments made in the said norms during the last three years and the current year, year-wise;
- (b) the total cost of the medicines purchased separately from national and international companies for supply to Government hospitals during the said period;
- (c) whether advance payments were also made to some pharmaceutical companies for purchasing medicines and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of ready to use medicines allowed for import into the country during the said period;
- (e) whether permission had also been given for import of such medicines which were available at a lower prices in the country and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (f) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to streamline the process of procurement of medicines for Government hospitals?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

- (a) The Central Government Hospitals namely Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Hospital and Rural Health Training Centre follow the General Financial Rules, 2017 (GFR 2017), Manual for Procurement of Goods and other extant guidelines / instructions issued by the Government of India as amended from time to time for the procurement of medicines.
- (b) The total cost of medicines procured by the above mentioned hospitals from national and international companies in the last three years are as below:
- (c) Procurement of medicines is done as per the Government rules and payments are made after supply of medicines and necessary verification.
- (d) & (e) As per the data available from the SUGAM database of CDSCO, import licenses for ready-to-use medicines have been issued across various categories, including antimicrobials; cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and hormonal drugs; immunomodulators; ophthalmic preparations; nutritional supplements; chemotherapeutic; and radio diagnostic agents.

| Name of the Hospital           |   Procurement from National Companies (in Rs. Cr) | Procurement from International Companies (in Rs. Cr)   |   Total Procurement (in Rs. Cr) |
|--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| Safdarjung Hospital            |                                            194.92 | 30.6                                                   |                          225.52 |
| Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital |                                            100.89 | Nil                                                    |                          100.89 |
| Lady Hardinge Hospital         |                                             34.12 | 4.43                                                   |                           38.56 |
| Rural Health Training Centre   |                                              8.85 | Nil                                                    |                            8.85 |

The details of import licenses issued during the last three financial years are as follows:

| Financial Year   |   No. of Import Licenses Issued |
|------------------|---------------------------------|
| 2022-23          |                             141 |
| 2023-24          |                             226 |
| 2024-25          |                             113 |

- (f) All procuring entities including Central Government Hospitals under the Department of Health & Family Welfare are instructed for strict compliance of the Government rules / guidelines / instructions in procurement of medicines to ensure transparency, efficiency and uninterrupted supply.

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