AIIMS Delhi Bars Two Suppliers for Two Years Over Defective Syringes and Suction Sets

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has barred two medical suppliers from participating in its tenders for two years following repeated complaints from hospital departments regarding substandard disposable syringes and suction sets.

According to an order dated August 13, the premier medical institute barred Tirupati Medicines Pvt Ltd after multiple departments reported severe defects in supplied 5ml disposable syringes. The reported issues included insects found inside syringes, fungal contamination, blood-stained needle hubs, broken needles, needle dislocation, internal breakage, and cracked plungers causing leakage.

The first complaint against the syringe supplier was logged on March 3, 2025. Although the firm was directed to replace the stock within 48 hours, additional quality defects continued to surface. Tirupati Medicines argued that it acted solely as an authorised distributor without manufacturing responsibilities, but AIIMS rejected the claim, affirming that contractual responsibility for supplied materials rests with the vendor.

In a separate order, AIIMS debarred Tarini Medicare Inc over recurring quality failures with Yankauer suction sets. Complaints regarding poor suction performance began in September and October 2024, followed by further reports in December 2024 and March 2025 despite warnings and replacement directives.

The paediatric surgery department reported that faulty tubing collapsed under negative pressure during operations, causing suction failures during active bleeding. AIIMS noted that such equipment failures severely compromise visibility during surgery, delay critical interventions, and pose direct risks to patient safety.

The institute stated that the two-year debarments were necessary to safeguard patient care services and uphold the integrity of public procurement.