Mundhe flags 2,841% markup on hospital consumables, seeks NPPA review
Mundhe's foray into hospital pricing follows an aggressive run at Mumbai's food sector earlier this year, when his inspections led to the temporary shutdown of several well-known eateries over hygiene violations.
In a concerning revelation, Maharashtra's Food and Drugs Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has uncovered surgical consumables and medical devices being sold with markups reaching an alarming 2,841% over their original procurement costs, according to a recent state survey. Mundhe has taken it upon himself to seek a national review of pricing rules for such medical devices, writing to both the Department of Pharmaceuticals and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).
The NPPA is the country's primary regulator for drug pricing. Mundhe is urging for measures like capping trade margins or implementing stricter price monitoring procedures for crucial device categories. As a seasoned journalist with a focus on health and pharmaceuticals, Mundhe has been with Mint for 12 years, utilizing her expertise and background in public health from the Public Health Foundation of India to shed light on critical healthcare policies impacting the Indian population.
Written by urgent.news from Live Mint's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
