The Official Ladder: I ascend to the pinnacle of power, wielding the power of life and death.

"Mayor, I have a very urgent and important matter to report to you immediately."

Li Yanan spoke urgently, her face filled with anxiety.

"Just now, Dean Zhao and other hospital leaders reported on the latest drug shortages their respective hospitals are facing. According to their feedback, if the relevant drug inventory cannot be replenished by noon tomorrow, several key departments will face a drug shortage crisis starting tomorrow afternoon. This will not only affect the normal order of diagnosis and treatment, but may also lead to chaos in medical procedures and even cause conflicts between doctors and patients."

"That's true, Mayor."

Dean Zhao then added, his voice tinged with obvious concern: "When we actively responded to the city's call to promote centralized drug procurement and joined the centralized procurement alliance, we solemnly promised to do our utmost to ensure the supply of clinically essential drugs. But now, there has been a drug supply disruption. This has not only seriously shaken patients' trust in the medical system, but also put enormous pressure on frontline clinicians, especially surgeons. They even sweat profusely during surgery because they are worried about drug shortages. This situation poses a great threat to medical safety."

The other deans also spoke, expressing their deep concern about the current drug shortage.

Everyone's tone conveyed a sense of urgency and unease, and the atmosphere in the meeting room suddenly became very tense.

Jiang Yiming's gaze swept over everyone present. His previous calm expression had vanished, replaced by a deliberate air of anxiety.

He said in a deep voice, "Director Shao has already given me a preliminary report on this situation, and he even made a self-criticism in person. I have already given him a serious reprimand. At the same time, I have also asked him to increase the allocation of medicines and do everything possible to alleviate the shortage of medicines in various hospitals as soon as possible."

"Of course, we must also admit that this pilot program for centralized procurement has indeed exposed many problems."

Jiang Yiming continued, his tone becoming more somber: "The municipal government will definitely reflect deeply on the shortcomings and deficiencies in the policy implementation process and strive to avoid them in subsequent work. Now, please go back and stabilize the overall situation, and make sure the safety of patients is the top priority. Activate emergency procurement channels immediately where necessary, and allocate temporary inventory as soon as possible. The supply of medicines cannot be stopped, surgeries cannot be delayed, and lives cannot wait. I will immediately try to contact surrounding cities and prefectures to coordinate the allocation of inventory medicines and do everything possible to overcome this crisis."

Dean Zhao and the others exchanged glances, their eyes revealing complex emotions. In the end, everyone's gaze fell on Li Yanan.

"The mayor has fully recognized the urgency of this matter and is actively seeking solutions."

Li Yanan said to the hospital directors, "After you go back, you must do your job well, and at the same time, you must strictly prevent the information from being leaked to avoid affecting the stability of the grassroots and the doctor-patient relationship."

"Thank you Mayor Jiang and Mayor Li for your support and guidance."

On behalf of everyone, Dean Zhao stated, "We will prioritize the overall situation, do our utmost to ensure the safety of clinical medication, maintain the normal operation of the hospital, and ensure uninterrupted medical services, undelayed surgeries, and no loss of patients."

After saying that, Dean Zhao and the others hurriedly left the conference room.

Li Yanan then said to Jiang Yiming with great concern, "Mayor, if we cannot allocate enough medicines in time, the consequences will be unimaginable. Especially since the whole country is paying attention to our medical reform work, if problems arise at this critical juncture, it may cause incalculable political repercussions and a crisis of public trust."

“I’m also worried about this issue.”

Jiang Yiming said with a solemn expression, "Go and discuss specific countermeasures with Shao Yongyong and the others in detail. I will go and report the current difficulties to Secretary Xiao in person so that he can be mentally prepared."

"Yes, Mayor, I'll take care of it right away."

Li Yanan responded and left.

After Li Yanan left, Jiang Yiming stood alone by the window, watching the figures of Dean Zhao and the others gradually shrink into a few blurry dots in the twilight.

He was actually able to keenly sense that Dean Zhao and the others were expressing dissatisfaction and resentment in their tone when discussing the centralized procurement work.

He had anticipated this.

The procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical devices has always been a core area of ​​power for hospitals, generating enormous potential for illicit profits. From selecting bidding agents and distributors to guiding clinical usage preferences, every step is interconnected, and a change in one can have far-reaching consequences.

This centralized procurement effort brought the procurement authority for some medicines and medical devices to a unified municipal platform, directly severing the profit chains that hospitals had built up over many years. Previously tacitly approved practices such as "minor adjustments to clinical pathways," "tacit rebates" between pharmacy departments and distributors, and even the implicit veto power of department heads over new drug approvals, all became invalid almost overnight.

Hospital directors, in particular, have had their power significantly diminished due to the centralized procurement pilot program, transforming them from resource allocators into mere "terminal interfaces" executing instructions. Naturally, they are very uncomfortable with this, but given that it is a project uniformly promoted by the city, they have no choice but to grit their teeth and shoulder the responsibility, no matter how unwilling they are.

Now that problems have arisen in the centralized procurement pilot program, they appear to be very anxious, but most of the institute leaders are secretly relieved because they see the possibility of the front line regaining its voice.

If the centralized procurement pilot program is cancelled as a result, they will be able to regain control over drug procurement and restore their autonomy in allocating clinical medications.

This is why Jiang Yiming faced immense pressure while pushing this project forward. Almost everyone was against him and hoped the pilot program would run into problems—except for the patients.

Tragically, however, the patients themselves have no voice in this matter.

Jiang Yiming stood there in deep thought for a long time before heading to the provincial capital to report the current problems to Xiao Shumin in person.

Surprisingly, his tone was unusually calm during the report, showing no sign of panic, as if he were simply reporting on the progress of a routine task.

"Mayor Yiming, you seem so calm. Have you already come up with a strategy to deal with this?"

Xiao Shumin asked, his tone tinged with inquiry.

"There's no use in me being anxious."

Jiang Yiming calmly replied, "Besides, these questions are traps that someone dug in advance. Since someone has dug such a big pit, I have to jump in, otherwise wouldn't I be letting them down?"

Jiang Yiming's tone carried a hint of self-deprecation, yet also revealed a firm resolve: "Actually, from those unusual media reports before, I vaguely felt that someone was deliberately manipulating public opinion behind the scenes, trying to put me in a difficult position by praising me to death. Now it seems that my premonition was correct. The current drug supply shortage issue is very likely also a step in their plan."

Xiao Shumin nodded slightly, and thoughtfully replied, "Since you had already noticed it, you must have made some preparations in advance, right? You came to me specifically to report today, is it because you hope I will cooperate with your actions in some aspects?"

Jiang Yiming laughed, his tone filled with admiration: "As expected, nothing can be hidden from Secretary Xiao. I do need you to personally return to Jiangcheng City to oversee the situation and preside over a high-level meeting to make unified arrangements and publicly emphasize the work of ensuring drug supply. However, our real purpose is to appear relaxed on the outside but tense on the inside—to make it seem like we are in disarray, so that our opponents will think we are unprepared and thus lower their guard and reveal all our cards."

He further explained, "If we simply fill in the pits quietly after they've gone to such great lengths to set up this trap, they'll suffer no real loss except for wasting their efforts. We must lure them out of their hole and expose them completely. Only in this way can we truly counter them and make them pay the price for their actions."

Xiao Shumin nodded solemnly: "Okay, I understand. I will set off back to Jiangcheng immediately. I will convene a meeting immediately with the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee and the main leaders of relevant functional departments to 'urgently study and deploy the work of ensuring the supply of medicines' and create a strong public opinion atmosphere."

However, he paused briefly and then cautiously reminded, "But have you considered that their purpose might not be limited to using the suspension of funding to undermine the medical reform pilot program and damage your political future? Are there any other tricks they might have up their sleeves? We need to analyze these things in advance and be prepared."

Jiang Yiming's expression turned serious. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "These are the main movements we can see for now. As for whether there are deeper plans, with limited information at the moment, I can't make a comprehensive judgment. We can only take it one step at a time, and deal with whatever comes our way."