Post News Network
Berhampur, May 20: Even as the State Government started the Niramaya Yojana May 1, hundreds of patients return disappointed from the Drug Distribution Centre (DDC) of the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here due to unavailability of medicines.
The scheme was implemented to provide over 500 types of medicines to the patients free of cost. However, the patients have to cough up a heavy amount by buying medicines from the drug house on the hospital premises. In the first phase, DDCs were opened at the three premier medical college and hospitals of the state and at all the district headquarters hospitals.
While the DDC at MKCG has four distribution counters, currently only two counters are functional. As per the norms, the patients visiting the hospital outdoor should get medicines from the DDC on the prescription of doctors. The patients were availing medicines for a few days after the scheme was launched. However, currently they have to return disappointed due to poor stock of drugs.
According to a patient, as per the direction of the doctor, he visited the DDC to get medicines. However, the pharmacist in the DDC gave him only two of the five prescribed medicines. The pharmacist told the patients that the rest medicines were not available in the centre. The patient’s attendants apprised Berhampur MLA Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik of the matter. Patnaik later visited the MKCG and held a discussion with the authorities over the issue.
Several patients had also return disappointed from the DDC Monday. It may be mentioned here that the government had announced that 572 types of medicines will be available at the DDC. However, the DDC at the MKCG stocks only 100 types of medicines. Even though it is strictly directed to hang a chart of the medicines available with centre outside the DDC, the authorities do not follow it. The patients are clueless about the medicines available at the DDC.
The State Evaluation Committee of the Health Department had visited the DDC May 12 to review the functioning of the centre. The committee had announced that an on-line database of the available medicines at the centre will be prepared and an on-line registration system will be started from May 15. However, the process is yet to begin.
When contacted, store officer Dr Jayantiprava Behera said the government had announced that 572 types of medicines will be available with the DDC. However, all the medicines were not supplied to the centre yet. The medicines are being supplied to centre in a phased manner.
She added that measures would be taken to place a chart outside the DDC to inform the patients about the available medicines. The departmental doctors are being briefed about the medicines available at the DDC every Wednesday.
Hospital manager BN Sahu said online registration process could not be started due to lack of computers. Recently, the hospital authorities have received money to buy computers. The registration process will be started soon, he added.