Bhubaneswar: In order to ensure proper distribution of medicines to hospitals under government’s free medicine distribution scheme ‘Niramaya’ using technology, the Health Department has decided to upgrade its e-Niramaya software to enhance its robustness in monitoring implementation of the scheme.
According to Health secretary Pramod Kumar Meherda, the e-Niramaya software that was developed in April this year has features like capturing critical information such as license validity of suppliers, details of performance security deposited, deviation monitoring and approval among others.
The software also has Niramaya beneficiary screen that enables facilities to register the number of patients who visited DCC at the hospitals and got free medicines as per prescription, which enables better monitoring of patient coverage.
It also has help desk that also allows users to put their queries and complaints related to the scheme.
Meanwhile, the health secretary has informed all secretaries of other departments that in future, advanced features like drug demand forecasting, stock reallocation among warehouses, reallocation of drugs close to expiry, supplier rating and lab performance rating, online payment module, commercial accounting as well as SMS and e-mail alert will be developed to increase its robustness.
The Health department’s move followed irregularities in implementation of the scheme that were found during visits by secretaries of different departments to various districts.
In Deogarh, they had observed last month that some important medicines hadn’t been supplied since January 2017; in Bolangir, transactions were not updated on time; in Dhenkanal, certain hospitals didn’t have fully automated drug distribution counter; and in Bhadrak, the drug distribution centre didn’t have online system.
PNN
