AGARTALA, August 13 (TIWN): Distribution of alleged sub-standard medicine kit comprises 14 commonly used drugs for immediate treatment of mother and children at village level raised an eyebrow across the state.

 A particular ointment in the kit was identified sub-standard at initial laboratory test report three months ago, has been redistributed in Anganawadi centres of the state for mother and children last month surfaced controversy. However, health officials closed hand by shifting responsibility to Social Welfare department though the entire medicine consignment was procured by the health department.

 According to Director of Social Welfare D Darlong, as many as 9915 medicine kits were initially regarded as substandard in the State Drug Testing Laboratory three months ago. Accordingly the supply of these kits was stopped. Again by the same laboratory after a week ago, notified that these kits are up to standard and cleared the nod for consumption of mother and children.

With the notification, the department also issued fresh notification and supplied the kits, Mr Darlong said.

He said in the month of May there was a notification from the office of the Drug Controller that in the medicine kits, an ointment Povidone Iodine Water Soluble Microbicidal are substandard and asked to stop supply immediately.

A fresh notification last week stated that the kits are at standard level. The question comes if the medicine kits are substandard in the month of May, then within three months how it becomes standard?

The state government has been accused of procuring sub-stranded poor quality life saving drugs and distributed to the hospital since last year. Congress lodged FIR against top health officials alleging their involvement in the scam and filed a separate case in Supreme Court.