Bhopal:

The quality of several crucial medicines in Madhya Pradesh has come under scrutiny, leading to a state-wide ban on more than nine essential drugs and injections.

The Madhya Pradesh Public Health Service Corporation Limited (MPPHSCL) has identified these medicines as substandard, raising concerns about patient safety across all districts in the state.

NDTV has got a copy of a shocking report that exposed this life-threatening fraud.

The issue first came to light when doctors at a government hospital in Indore saw that patients were not responding to treatment as expected. This prompted an investigation into the medicines supplied by MPPHSCL, uncovering significant irregularities. A large batch of medicines, including life-saving drugs and antibiotics, was found to be of poor quality, prompting immediate action.

“Our team reported that many injections were not working as expected; those that should be administered once had to be given twice,” said Dr Sumit Shukla, Superintendent of Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College.

The situation turned dire in Damoh, where five pregnant women died after they took intravenous saline.

In response, MPPHSCL has banned the use of these medicines across the state.

“We have a comprehensive system to check all medicines procured or sold in the market. There is a full department and a laboratory dedicated to this task. When medicines are purchased, their certificates are thoroughly checked, and once the medicines arrive, samples are collected and sent to the laboratory for testing,” said state Health Minister Narendra Shivaji Patel, adding the government is committed to transparency and safety.

“Our doctors and laboratories have identified the suppliers or factories that produced these ineffective or potentially harmful medicines. This shows that our system is working effectively to protect public health. If any supplier is found attempting to distribute substandard medicines, they will be banned, blacklisted, and subjected to strict legal action. We will take all necessary steps to ensure that our citizens are not harmed,” Mr Patel said.

Despite strict regulations requiring NABL-certified lab reports for medicine supplies in government hospitals, the reality suggests a lapse in quality control. Many of the banned drugs, including those used in intensive care units (ICUs) and operation theatres, are still available in private shops, raising further concerns.

NDTV went to a medicine shop in Bhopal’s biggest government hospital, Hamidia, to uncover the ground reality of the availability of banned medicines. Despite the state’s recent crackdown on substandard drugs, NDTV was able to easily purchase Heparin and Nitroglycerin injections. These are part of the nine life-saving drugs recently banned due to quality concerns of the same manufacturer.

The process was disturbingly straightforward. We approached the medicine shop inside Hamidia Hospital, requested the injections, made the purchase, and received an official bill – all without any hindrance.

These injections, which are critical in emergency care settings such ICUs and operation theatres, were supposed to be banned following the state’s directive. The ease with which these injections were obtained at Hamidia is not an isolated incident. Our investigation extended to private shops outside JP Hospital, where the same banned injections were readily available.

“Many of these medicines are life-saving. In the ICU, we administer dopamine to patients with dangerously low blood pressure. Additionally, when a patient suffers a cardiac arrest, we use non-adrenaline during CPR. These medicines are crucial in emergency situations, and their quality must be impeccable,” said Dr Ashok Thakur of MY Hospital. “Any deficiency in these drugs can lead to adverse outcomes, putting patients’ lives at risk,” he said.

The real question remains – how long has this compromised quality persisted? With more than 90 per cent of hospitals in the state facing a shortage of essential medicines and the quality of supplied drugs in question, the situation is alarming.

Bhopal:

The Madhya Pradesh government on Monday rejected a proposal floated under the New Bhopal “re-densification” plan which may have led to cutting of more than 27,000 trees in the state capital, citing environmental conservation, a decision coming amid protests by local residents and green activists.

In a message on “X” in Hindi, state Urban Administration and Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said, “Keeping in view environmental protection and trees present in the area of the New Bhopal Re-densification Plan, the presented proposal was rejected after thorough consideration and instructions were given to examine other alternative locations.” “Discussions should also be held with citizens and public representatives at the initial level for the new proposal,” he added.

Under the re-densification plan, the state government wants to clear the existing constructions in the city’s Shivaji Nagar area and develop the locality in a planned way.

Hundreds of Bhopal residents have joined hands to save more than 27,000 trees that they fear would be chopped as part of the mega project to make space for VVIP bungalows in the city.

For the past ten days, citizens, students and green activists have been campaigning against what they call the plan by the Madhya Pradesh Housing Board to construct bungalows for MLAs and bureaucrats by clearing trees at Shivaji Nagar and Tulsi Nagar, which are among green patches in the city.

Many of them, including women and an MLA of the ruling BJP, worshipped and clung to trees on Friday vowing to protect them.

MP Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary Neeraj Mandloi had earlier clarified nothing will happen to the trees “immediately”.

“It was a concept floated by the Housing Board before the Urban Development Minister. As of now, no approval has come. The government is sensitive towards protection of trees. There was no proposal to cut the trees as of now,” he had asserted amid protests by citizens.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

In a horrifying incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal, a dog was killed by the employees of a dog training centre. The two employees hanged the dog at an entry gate and pulled it by the chain around its neck from one side, officials said.

Operator Ravi Kushwaha and the two employees — a man and a woman — have been arrested in the case.

They also allegedly tried to delete the CCTV footage, which caught the distressing incident.

Nikhil Jaiswal, a businessman from Shajapur in Madhya Pradesh, bought the dog around two years back and sent it for training in Misrod in Bhopal in May. The centre charged him a fee of Rs 13,000 per month, with the training set to conclude in September.

However, on October 9, Ravi told Nikhil that the dog died as he was unwell.

The incident came to the fore after Nikhil filed a police complaint after suspecting something wrong.

During the police investigation, the CCTV footage was also retrieved with the help of a cyber cell.

Bhopal:

An Indian Air Force helicopter on a routine training mission made a safe “precautionary” landing near a dam in Bhopal district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, the IAF said.

Earlier in the day, a police officer said the chopper of IAF’s III HU unit made an “emergency” landing in a field near a lake in Dungariya village, nearly 60 km from the Bhopal district headquarters, at around 8:45 am.

The pilot and five crew members on board the chopper are safe, Berasia police station inspector Narendra Kulaste told PTI over the phone from the spot.

He had said the chopper was on its way to Jhansi from Bhopal when it developed a technical fault.

“One ALH MK III helicopter of IAF, on a routine training mission from Bhopal to Chakeri, carried out a safe precautionary landing, near the Dungariya Dam, 50 km from Bhopal Airport. No harm or injuries reported,” a Central Air Command statement said.

The police officer said the helicopter took off to its destination at around 5 pm after its problem was fixed.

He said teams of technicians from Bhopal and Nagpur were involved in the repair work. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

To mark its 91st Anniversary, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has planned an aerial display over Bhojtal Lake in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, today. The event will be held at the Boat Club, taking place at the Upper Lake. Residents and visitors in the city will be treated to thrilling aerobatic performances, showcasing the nation’s air prowess. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Central Air Command (CAC) shared a glimpse of SU 30s in a Trishul manoeuvre in an air display practice, and also the Suryakirans over Bhojtal Lake. 

“#91st_Air_Force_Anniversary #Bhopal #Bhojtal_Lake #Air_Display_Practice #SU_30s in a Trishul Manoeuvre. The Majestic #Suryakirans over Bhojtal Lake, Bhopal. Aerial refuelling prowess of #IAF #HarKaamDeshKeNaam,” the CAC wrote on X. 

Take a look below: 

#91st_Air_Force_Anniversary#Bhopal#Bhojtal_Lake#Air_Display_Practice#SU_30s in a Trishul Manoeuvre

The Majestic #Suryakirans over Bhojtal Lake, Bhopal

Aerial refuelling prowess of #IAF#HarKaamDeshKeNaampic.twitter.com/3OMgX5AYXN

— CAC, IAF (@CAC_CPRO) September 28, 2023

Separately, IAF tweeted, “On the occasion of its #91stAnniversary, the Indian Air Force will be carrying out an aerial display at the Bhojtal Lake in Bhopal. Do watch it LIVE on all IAF Social Media Handles.”

#AirPowerBeyondBoundaries

On the occasion of its #91stAnniversary, the Indian Air Force will be carrying out an aerial display at the Bhojtal Lake in Bhopal.

Do watch it LIVE on all IAF Social Media Handles.#AFDP23pic.twitter.com/9PdH0GOhpm

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) September 29, 2023

In view of the event, the traffic police have also released specific traffic and parking guidelines for Saturday. According to a post by Bhopal Traffic Police, arrangements have been put in place along VIP road from Retghat to Khanugaon for the general public to witness the programme. 

दिनांक 30.09.2023 को #बोट_क्लब पर #भारतीय_वायूसेना का वायु प्रदर्शन कार्यक्रम के दौरान-
प्रातः 08 बजे से कार्यक्रम समाप्ति तक पार्किंग एवं यातायात व्यवस्था तथा आवश्यकतानुसार #यातायात_डायवर्सन व्यवस्था जन सुविधा के लिये उपलब्ध है ।@CP_Bhopal@ianuragIPS@MPPoliceDeptt@IAF_MCCpic.twitter.com/2yeK0wzDGG

— DCP Traffic, Bhopal (@dcpbpl_Traffic) September 28, 2023

Access to the event at the Boat Club will be restricted to pass holders. Blue and green pass holders will be directed to the area in front of the Wind and Wave Restaurant of Madhya Pradesh Tourism (MPT). Media members with yellow passes will be allowed to park their vehicles at the Hotel Ranjit Lake View.

The buses carrying the 500 invited students to the Boat Club event will be parked at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya after dropping off the students. Visitors arriving from Smart City Road, Banganga, Machhli Ghar, and Polytechnic will be guided to park their vehicles within the Ravindra Bhawan complex.

Also Read | Air Force ‘Falcons’ Congratulate Pilot Cleared To Fly Rafale Solo

Notably, vehicle entry will be restricted from Polytechnic Square and Kilol Park in the direction of the Boat Club. As per the press note, specific arrangements have been made along VIP Road for the convenience of the general public interested in viewing the show. 

Moreover, during the event, traffic restrictions will be in effect on several routes, including Lalghati to VIP Road, Collectorate Trisection to Koh-e-Fiza, GAD Square to Karbala, and Kilol Park to VIP Road, the Bhopal Traffic Police said.