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Burla: Alleging irregularities in medicine supply and delay in submission of pending bills, authorities of the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Science and Research (VIMSAR), Burla have issued notice to a medicine store on its campus asking it to vacate the premises by August 14, 2018.

The notice mentioned that Choudhury Medicine Store located on VIMSAR premises has been producing regular bills after much delay.

As per the contract signed between the hospital authorities and the drug shop, the latter should be supplying medicines to poor beneficiaries under different government schemes free of cost and submit the bills of the same regularly to the hospital for reimbursement.

"It is difficult for us to make the payment as the shop owner submitted a bill after three months to the hospital," said Ashwin Pujahari, VIMSAR director adding that the delayed action is a tactics to manipulate the bills.

As an alternative arrangement to help the patients, the hospital drug store will now provide medicines at cheaper rates to the beneficiaries, Pujahari added.

In the notice, the authorities have further asked the drug house to contact Odisha Health Department to claim any dues (if any) pending against the firm.

On the other hand, Manoj Choudhury, owner of the Medicine Store, refuted the charges and said the store has been providing medicines to poor beneficiaries as per the government schemes. "We are ready to vacate the hospital premises provided the outstanding bill of Rs 8 crore is cleared by VIMSAR," he added.

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