Thiruvananthapuram: The state govt has ordered a comprehensive internal audit of medical equipment procured over the past 10 years after unused equipment worth crores of rupees were found lying in a warehouse at the Wayanad Govt Medical College.Health minister K Muraleedharan directed the health department to review procurement made during the tenures of both the first and second Pinarayi Vijayan govts. The audit will also cover equipment purchased through the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL), the state agency responsible for procuring medical equipment for govt hospitals.The decision follows the minister’s recent visits to hospitals in Kozhikode and Wayanad districts, including surprise inspections. During his visit to the Wayanad medical college, he found several consignments of medical equipment still sealed in their original packaging and stacked inside the hospital warehouse.According to the health department officials, equipment worth crores of rupees had remained unused for years and had deteriorated over time. Among the items found were six mobile mortuary units, each estimated to cost more than Rs 20 lakh, which were never put into service. Several other high-value medical devices were also found lying unopened in the warehouse.Visuals of the unused equipment that surfaced following the minister’s visit have raised concerns over procurement and inventory management in govt hospitals.As part of the audit, the govt will prepare a statewide inventory of medical equipment lying unused in public hospitals and examine procurement, storage and utilisation practices. The review will focus on identifying systemic lapses and determining why costly equipment remained idle despite demand for healthcare services.Officials said that if the internal audit uncovers any irregularities, financial misconduct or evidence of corruption, the findings will be handed over to the vigilance department for further investigation. The procurement process followed through KMSCL will also come under detailed scrutiny.Ends.
