KSMSC to procure ₹800 cr of medicines with strict quality control

THE Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation (KSMSC) is now all set to procure tenders for pharmaceutical supplies, potentially worth Rs. 800 crore, with a focus on stringent quality control measures. The corporation had earlier invited tenders for 100 drugs worth Rs. 485 crore. All this would include multiple checks and testing for each batch of drugs to ensure the highest standards are maintained.

- Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru

The state government is hell bent to see that all its medical facilities including the 2,127 primary health centres, and around 600 taluk, community health care centres and government multispecialty hospitals get the regular supply of quality certified lifesaving drugs among other medications to its facilities. This follows after the unfortunate tragedy in December 2024 of the lactating mothers in Ballari district hospital and Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) succumbing because of the use of substandard IV fluid Ringer's Lactate, manufactured by the West Bengal-based company Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals.