Punjab health minister and the Aam Admi Party (AAP) candidate from Patiala LS seat, Dr Balbir Singh, on Sunday blamed the poor administration for the unavailability of medicines and surgical items at the Government Rajindra Hospital.

The minister said that the government has already given the required financial powers to the medical superintendent for purchasing the medicines.

“The government has already given the hospital administration powers to buy the medicines. I am receiving complaints about the unavailability of medicines at Rajindra now and then. The point is that some of the departments are not competent. There are management issues,” Dr Balbir said during a press conference.

Dr Rajan Singla, director principal of the hospital, said that they have already sent a list of non-essential drugs to the directorate of medical education and research for the purchase. “As to the EDL, we can only provide the medicines to the patients which are provided by the government to the hospital,” he said.