India, Aug. 8 -- The Delhi government on Friday announced suspension of the Central Procurement Agency's (CPA) centralised procurement system and directed government hospitals to buy medicines, surgical items, consumables, and medical equipment directly.

According to a health department order, seen by HT, the move comes months after the government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) alleged procurement irregularities and arrested former Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) director and CPA chief Dr Vatsala Agarwal, along with two other senior officials.

The order stated that the procurement system for drugs, consumables, surgical items, equipment, and other essential healthcare commodities was centralised through orders issued in Ju...