Procedure for Authorised Local Chemists: Implementation Instructions by ECHS

Central Organisation ECHS

Adjutant General’s Branch

B/49762/AG/ECHS/Medicine Policy

IHQ of MoD (Navy)/Dir ECHS (N)

Air HQ (VB)/DPS

HQ Southern Command (AIECHS)

HQ Eastern Command (AIECHS)

HQ Western Command (AIECHS)

HQ Central Command (AIECHS)

HQ Northem Command (AIECHS)

HQ South Western Command (A/ECHS)

HQ Andaman & Nicobar Command (AIECHS)

AMA ECHS, Embassy of India, Nepal

All Regional Centres

1. Refer:-

(a) GOI/MOD letter No 220(01)/2016/ WEID(Res-l) dated 22 Aug 17 (copy att as Encl 1).

(b) GOI letter No 24(3)lO3/US(WE)ID(Res)(i) dated 08 Sep 03 amended vide 25(01)/2014/US(WE)/D(Res) dated 04 Aug 14.

2. In all stations with ECHS polyclinics. local medical stores/ chemists will be empanelled for supply of Not Available, emergent, life saving and essential drugs on as required basis. The empanelment of local medical stores/chemists will be done by a Board of Officers constituted by the Station Commander which will comprise the following

Chairman – SO ECHS/Col Rank officer detailed by Station Commander.

– Lt Col (Non Medical) detailed by Station Commander

– Jt Dir Hospital Services of Regional Centre concerned/ Medical Officer detailed by Station Commander

– Rep of LAO/ CDA

3. Actions by the Board.

(a) The Board of Officers will invite Tenders through advertisement in the local press and e-procurement portal from local medical stores/chemists for empanelment with ECHS Polyclinic. The tender enquiry will be based on same format as CGHS tender for Authorised Local Chemist with conditions suitably modified to suit local military requirements (CGHS tender format att as Encl 2).

(b) The Board will check the Technical parameters as per Tender Enquiry and will consider the price bids of only the technically qualified vendors. The Board will arrive at L 1 Vendor based on maximum overall amount of discount on MRP for all the drugs to be supplied with a minimum OR of 15%. Bids offering less than 15% overall Discount will be rejected. The tenderers will quote an overall discount figure irrespective of the quantity or number of individual drugs.

(c) The Board will consider parallel rate contract with L2 and L3 vendors and include their names in recommendation if those vendors agree to the L1 rates in writing.

(d) The Board of Officers will submit a recommended list of local medical stores/chemists to the Station Commander for approval.

4 Actions by Station Cdrs

(a) Constitute a Board of Officers for empanelment of local medical stores/chemists including CGHS authorised chemists. Due care is to be exercised in choice of Medical officer to avoid any conflict of interest. MOs/Spl posted to Ml-l of SEMO concerned to be avoided and MOI RMO of non medical units may preferably be detailed as JDl-lS of RC may be occupied in similar bds for other stns under AOR.

(b) Approval of recommended list of local medical stores/chemists submitted by the Board of Officers.

(c) All CGHS Authorised Chemists in the same city will be considered as deemed empanelled i.e need not participate in TE if the rates planned to be quoted are same as given for CGHS. They will give their contract discount documents for CGHS to the board, but will sign the contract with Stn Cdr provided the discount offered by them to CGHS is not less than that offered by L1 vendor of the TE. They have option to participate in the empanelment process and offer fresh quotes discounts at the TE Stage.

(d) The Contract will be signed with the approved local medical stores/chemists by Stn HQrs for a period of two years. The terms and conditions of Contract will be based on CGl-lS formats.

(e) The Officer in charge Polyclinic will after due verification authenticate the receipt of drugs/consumables and forward the consolidated bills by the 5th of the following month to the Stn HQrs.

(f) Stn Cdr will process the same for releasing payment with sanction of appropriate CFA.

(g) Payment: The payments on account of procurement of drugs and consumables from empanelled local chemists will be made from the cash assignments placed at the disposal of Station Commanders under Major Head 2076 Minor Head 107 Head 363/01. The payments will be effected by cheque/ electronic payment.

(h) Delegated financial powers as per Para 1 of Appendix to GOl letter No 24(3)IO3IlJS(WE)/D(Res)(i) dated 08 Sep 03 amended vide 25(01)12014/US(WE)ID(Res) dated 04 Aug 14 will be exercised by CFA. The delegated powers are enumerated in table below:

CFA (Station Commander)	Financial Limit (without consultation)	Fin Limits with IFA consultation
Lt Col/ Col	Upto 1,00,000	–
Brig	Upto 2,00,000	–
Maj Gen(Sub Area Commander/ COS Area HQ)	Upto 3,00,000	–
Dy MD ECHS	–	Upto 5,00,000
MD ECHS	–	Upto 10,00,000
JS ESW	–	Upto 25,00,000
Secy ESW	–	Upto 25,00,000

(j) The monetary ceilings for expenditure irrespective of their Military or Non Military status are as follows:-

Type A & B Polyclinic : Rs 2.5 Lakh per month

Type C Polyclinic : Rs 1.5 Lakh per month

Type D Polyclinic : Rs 01 Lakh per month

Prior approval of MD ECHS will be required for any expenditure above this limit.

(k) The expenditure on account of local purchase of drugs and consumables from empanelled local medical stores/chemists will be monitored separately under the relevant revenue head.

(l) The records of polyclinic will be checked by a Boards of Officers detailed by the Station Commander.

5. Actions by Polyclinic : When an emergent/life saving/essentlal drug prescribed by the Medical Officer in the ECHS Polyclinic is not available as confirmed from the stock by the medical store of polyclinic and requirement of the same is essential for a patient, following procedure will be followed:-

(a) The Officer in charge Polyclinic will raise a demand to the empanelled local medical store/chemist. The demand will be supported by prescription(s) signed by the Medical Officer managing the case.

(b) On receipt of the demand the empanelled local medical store/chemist will supply the required drug to the Polyclinic within 24 hrs.

(c) The Bills for the drugs supplied will be forwarded by the empanelled local medical store/chemists monthly to the Officer in charge Polyclinic along with a copy of the demand raised by the Polyclinic.

(d) The Officer in charge Polyclinic will, after due verification, authenticate the receipt of drugs/consumables and forward the consolidated bills by the 5th of the following month to the Stn HQs.

(e) The Officer in charge Polyclinic will also certify on the consolidated bill that drugs demanded are emergent/life saving/essential drugs and are Not Available in the polyclinic medical stores neither a substitute! equivalent drug was available.

(f) Stn Cdr will process the same for releasing payment with sanction of appropriate CFA.

(g) The list of drugs and consumables indented from local chemists alongwith quantity indented will be included in the next Emergent/ Normal polyclinic indent to SEMO.

(h) Monthly list of such drugs will be forwarded to SEMO for initiating procurement action by SEMO while forwarding the next demand.

(j) The Polyclinics will maintain a separate account for all purchases of this nature. All daily transactions will be maintained and particulars of patients who are issued the essential medicines will be recorded. The records will be checked by a Boards of Officers detailed by the Station Commander, and will be audited by Local Audit Officer (LAO) every quarter.

6. Funds required will be placed at the disposal of Station Commanders by Central Organisation ECHS. Due control shall be exercised by MOs/ Spll OiC Polyclinics and Stn Cdrs to ensure that the monthly limit is available to maximum patients and is not exhausted in procuring medicines for a few patients. Existing provisions for reimbursement of costlier medicines for the diseases specified in Para 6 of GOl/MOD letter No 24(8)IO3IUS(WE)ID(Res) dt 19 Dec 03 for a period of 23/30 days may also be explored to benefit maximum number of veterans.

7. Special Instructions to MOs/Spls of Polyclinics and Empanelled Hospitals.

(a) The demand for NA medicines will be supported by prescription signed by the Medical Officer! Spl of ECHS polyclinic managing the case. In all such cases. the Medical Officer / Spl will ensure that there ar e no other substitutes available in the Polyclinic medical store in lieu of the drug required. Branded drug will be prescribed with due medical justification only. Demands will not be signed by Para Medical/Dental Staff under only circumstances.

(b) As specified in MCI Ethics Rules, pharmacy of a polyclinic is not an open pharmacy but is meant as self dispensing of medicines prescribed by Medical Officers/ Doctors of polyclinic only. All other prescriptions issued by other consultants shall be rewritten by polyclinic doctor keeping in mind availability. patient’s condition and other drugs prescribed.

(c) Prescription of branded medicine by empanelled hospitals will have to be justified by treating Doctor and should be avoided as per National Policy. The AFV should also not insist on particular brand name of medicine if an equivalent is available in Polyclinic or supplied by Empanelled Local Chemists.

(IVS Gahlot)

Md

Dir (Med)

for MD ECHS

Source: ECHS
[http://echs.gov.in/images/pdf/med/med170.pdf]