Srinagar: Government Dental College (GDC) Srinagar has been forced to make purchase of emergency items on its own as the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) failed to supply drugs and dental material on time.
According to officials, the GDC has purchased several machines and drugs locally bypassing the JKMSCL after facing inordinate delay in the process.
“We are being forced to do purchases ourselves,” said an administrator pleading anonymity.
“The corporation has failed to send us essential supplies on time despite repeated reminders,” he said.
According to him, the GDC Srinagar had already started the process of local purchases for 2020 as the registered dealers have been asked to contact the purchase section of the institution.
“We cannot let patients suffer for want of drugs and other dental material. Though we have to spend extra money from the public exchequer,” the administrator said.
The GDC has issued fresh tender notice on Monday inviting registered dealers and suppliers to supply dental care items urgently.
The tender has been floated after obtaining the NOC from JKMSCL.
“For and on behalf of the Lt. Governor of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, sealed tenders affixed with Revenue Stamp of Rs. 5/- are Invited from the Registered dealers/suppliers having registration with Health and Medical Education Department or JKMSCL for supply of essential urgently needed Items of Dental Material required for day-to-day smooth running of the Hospital,” reads a tender notice.
Managing Director JKMSCL, Shiv Kumar Gupta admitted the delay in the supply of some items. However, he justified the delay saying the JKMSCL gets a meager response to some tenders notices.
“The corporation is meant to do bulk purchases for all hospitals of J&K so we face delay sometimes in getting the rate contract. In that case we issue NOC to the institution to do local purchases,” he said.
According to him, the health and medical education department had already approved 25 percent funds from the total sanctioned money to medical and dental colleges of J&K for doing purchases locally as and when required.
“The aim to run the healthcare smoothly without any delay in the treatment,” Gupta said.

Manzoor ul-Hassan