Latest news with #TamilNaduMedicalServicesCorporation
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
40 products, 3 firms blacklisted in two years by T.N. Medical Services Corporation
In two years, the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) has blacklisted 40 products - drugs and injections - and three firms primarily for failing to meet quality control norms. According to data from TNMSC, an organisation that was set up to streamline the procurement, storage and distribution of essential drugs for government hospitals, 22 products were blacklisted for quality failures during 2023-2024. During 2024-2025, 26 products were blacklisted, of which 22 were quality-related and four for non-execution of purchase orders. A total of 14 products were blacklisted so far in 2025, all related to quality failures. Firm-wise, TNMSC blacklisted five firms during 2023-2024 (two for non-execution of purchase orders and three on quality grounds. While two firms were blacklisted during 2024-2025, one was blacklisted so far this year on quality grounds. Also Read: Not business as usual: On upholding India's reputation for quality drugs Year Number of blacklisted firms Reasons Number of products blacklisted Reasons 2023-2024 5 2 for non execution of purchase orders; 3 on quality grounds 22 All related to quality failures 2024-2025 2 On quality grounds 26 22 quality related 4 non execution of purchase orders 2025 (till date) 1 On quality grounds 14 All related to quality failures How quality checks are performed Officials of TNMSC said that quality checks on medicines are conducted as per the relevant pharmacopoeia (such as Indian Pharmacopoeia, British Pharmacopoeia, United States Pharmacopoeia) at their entry level at warehouses through NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited empanelled laboratories. In case of any adverse reports from empanelled laboratories, the same drugs are re-tested at government laboratories in the State - laboratories at Teynampet and Guindy. Presently, TNMSC has contracts with 12 laboratories situated all over the country. The top reason for blacklisting products is failure to meet quality standards, an official said. Blacklisting is done for products due to quality failure/non supply and for companies as a whole, for quality failures. According to blacklisting details on TNMSC's website, 'not of standard quality' is the major reason cited for blacklisting a particular drug. 'Purchase orders not executed' and 'substandard quality' are other reasons. In fact, one drug has been blacklisted for the 'presence of an iron piece inside the tablet'. For firms blacklisted from 2024, misbranded drugs is the main reason. Monitoring of warehouses TNMSC's warehouses are monitored through the centralised portal - Drug Distribution Management System - for stock receipt, sampling process, receipt of lab reports, distribution to medical institutions and its fund management. The shelf life expired drugs are disposed through biomedical waste management agencies approved by the T.N. Pollution Control Board once in a year, officials added. As far as equipment is concerned, TNMSC procures only equipment with standardisation certificates such as European CE/US FDA/equivalent Indian standards, they said.
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
T.N.'s health sector: feats and challenges
The story so far: Tamil Nadu has consistently ranked high in the health sector. A robust public health system, 11,000+ institutions at the primary, secondary and tertiary care levels and scores of pioneering schemes have enabled the State to stay ahead in many of its key health indicators. Despite such achievements, the State's health sector is in the midst of a brewing crisis — a crisis fueled by a high number of vacancies, a strained workforce, and a lackadaisical attitude towards long-pending demands of doctors. How has T.N. healthcare fared so far? Over the years, the State has made significant strides in expanding its health infrastructure and improving health outcomes through focussed initiatives and innovative programmes, while prioritising core areas of maternal and child health, and prevention and control of infectious diseases. In particular, it has scaled up interventions targeting non-communicable diseases. Its flagship scheme, 'Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam' (MTM), has taken screening and drug delivery for conditions such as diabetes and hypertension to people's doorsteps, while community-based cancer screening programmes have also taken off. Moreover, the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation streamlines drug procurement and supply for government hospitals; the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (formerly Cadaver Transplant Programme) regulates the process of organ allocation and maintenance of wait lists; and the Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme provides financial assistance and nutritional support to pregnant women belonging to economically and socially disadvantaged sections. Schemes such as the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme have enabled better access to healthcare, especially for advanced procedures and surgeries such as organ transplants for the poor. What gains have been made? Such focussed measures have enabled the State to steadily bring down its maternal and infant mortality numbers. As per the State's Health Management Information System, the Maternal Mortality Ratio stands at 39.4 per 1,00,000 live births (2024-2025), a dip from 45.5 in 2023-2024, while the Infant Mortality Rate fell from 8.2 per 1,000 live births (2023-2024) to 7.7 in 2024-2025. The under-five mortality rate has also declined from 8.9 (2023-2024) to 8.2 during 2024-2025. On its part, the MTM has demonstrated an improvement in the management of hypertension and diabetes in the State. Among adults with hypertension, the proportion with blood pressure control rose to 17% (previously 7.3%), while among those with diabetes, the proportion with blood sugar control rose to 16.7% (previously 10.8%) respectively. These achievements are the outcomes of a resilient healthcare system that was built brick by brick over decades and stood the test of time during the COVID-19 pandemic. But certain deficiencies have surfaced in the State's public health sector, stemming from failures in addressing the needs of its workforce. What are the unmet needs and gaps? Despite exponential growth in terms of health infrastructure, there has been no proportionate expansion in the workforce. Delay in filling up vacant posts (across different levels) and lack of new posts' creation have left a dent in the sector. The health sector, including at the primary care level, is running the show by redeploying/diverting doctors and staff nurses to various facilities. A crucial cadre of T.N.'s public health system are its Village Health Nurses (VHN), who play a vital role in maternal and child healthcare. As per the latest official data, 2,013 posts of VHNs (of the 8,713 sanctioned) and 1,251 posts of Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (of the 2,057 sanctioned) are lying vacant. There has been an inordinate delay in filling the vacant posts due to legal issues. VHNs spearhead antenatal care, delivery services, post-natal follow-up and immunisation. Instead of serving one village (population of 5,000 to 6,000 as per norms), each VHN is now covering at least two to three villages each. Facing an acute crisis, they have been rising concerns about falling behind in maternal and child healthcare services. On the other hand, there is a growing concern about the shortage and skewed distribution of specialists in the State. Government doctors have been asking for an increase in their workforce as per patient strength, according to norms prescribed by Indian Public Health Standards. Many of them note that there is a huge rise in patient inflow to government hospitals, but no commensurate rise in staffing. In the last four years, the State recruited some 3,500-odd medical officers to its primary healthcare (point of entry) but is yet to address specialist shortfalls at the secondary and tertiary care levels. In particular, there is a huge deficit in super speciality cadre such as for cardiothoracic surgery and vascular surgery. Additionally, contractual recruitments and proposed models for public private partnership in service delivery, such as for haemodialysis, are facing stiff opposition among the existing workforce. For a State like Tamil Nadu, which takes pride in its advanced health infrastructure, a discontent and stretched workforce is detrimental in many ways. It could affect performance, patient outcomes, and public trust.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
PET CT scan and Gamma camera to be commissioned at Tiruchi GH soon
A Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed Tomography (CT) scan centre with Gamma camera (SPECT) will become functional at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) in Tiruchi by the end of the year, according to official sources. As per a recent work order issued by Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, the project is to be executed by Bengaluru-based company Matrix Imaging Solutions India, under the 'Build, Own and Operate' model of private-public partnership, which will not create any new expenditure for the State Government. 'The successful bidder (service provider) will have to pay 10% of their monthly collection to the Hospital Maintenance Fund for the utilisation of space, water and electricity,' according to the work order. Experienced specialists and technicians will be recruited by the service provider. The period of the contract is initially set at five years. 'We have identified a place for the new facility, and since it will emit radiation, stringent precautions will be taken to ensure safety. All the materials used will be approved by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). The facility will be designed according to industrial specifications. 'Hot toilets' will also be built inside the premises. We expect the centre to be ready by the end of this year,' a senior MGMGH official told The Hindu. He added that two rooms had been earmarked in the Super-Speciality Block of the hospital to provide easy access to patients from private and public hospitals. According to the initial price list (applicable to all patients), a whole body PET-CT scan will cost ₹11,000. Other scan prices range from ₹9,200 to ₹6,500. Gamma camera studies will cost ₹1,200 to ₹12,900. Patients covered by the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme will be scanned on cashless mode with requisite authentication.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
GCC to launch mass vaccination drive for stray dogs from July
Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will launch a mass vaccination drive from July targeting the city's estimated 1.8 lakh stray dogs. The campaign will go beyond the routine rabies shot and cover four other diseases — canine distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and commissioner J Kumaragurubaran said the civic body is awaiting delivery of 20,000 doses of a multi-disease vaccine from Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation. Priced at around 200 per dose, the vaccine offers protection against all five diseases."This will be the second time we are administering non-rabies vaccines to stray dogs," said GCC veterinary officer Kamal Hussain. The vaccination will be administered alongside annual rabies shots and sterilisation procedures."Parvovirus and distemper are especially common and deadly among strays, with a 90% fatality rate if not treated early," said veterinary doctor R support the expanded vaccination drive, GCC has established two new animal birth control (ABC) centres — one at Kallikuppam in Ambattur and another at Otteri burial ground in Kodambakkam. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
