Types of medicines provided under Niramaya enhanced to 558
Bhubaneswar: In a bid to ensure fruitful implementation of its free medicine distribution scheme Niramaya, the state government has instructed the Health and Family Welfare department to closely monitor the medicines prescribed by doctors in all government hospitals.
Reviewing the activities of Orissa State Medical Corporation (OSMC) here recently, Chief Secretary AP Padhi has directed the health officials to keep track whether the medicines provided under Niramaya are actually being prescribed and issued to the patients or not, an official said Monday.
He also directed to popularise a telephone number for complaints by people when they did not get the required medicine from hospital stores. It was decided to undertake wide awareness activities about the effectiveness and quality of medicines being supplied under Niramaya.
Types of medicines approved for procurement and supply under the popular programme of Niramaya enhanced to 558 for 2017-18 against the total 499 types of medicines approved in 2016-17, the official said.
The Chief Secretary further directed to ensure adequate supply of medicines at hospitals’ stores without fail. He clearly instructed the corporation officials that there should never be a ‘stock out position’ for 117 types of fast moving and more demanded medicines in any government hospital.
Participating in the discussion, Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan advised to have a dedicated team for interaction with patients at ground zero level for assessing their requirements and satisfaction heights.
Balakrishnan further instructed to develop a system of ‘social watch’ through a third party team to assess the satisfaction of people.
OSMC’s managing director Rabindra Pratap Singh said, “A consumption-based supply system of medicines has been adopted by the corporation. The indents for the medicines are being received through online software and the supply position is also being reflected in the same online system. Actual stock position at the drug warehouses and hospitals can be tracked through this software.”
Sources said the corporation has 39 drug warehouses in different parts of the state. Each district has at least one drug warehouse. The medicines are being supplied to the warehouses as per the advance indents, from where those are being supplied to hospital stores.
In the current year, around 317 types of specialised medicines are being supplied to medical college hospitals, 301 types to district hospitals, 294 medicines to sub-divisional and community health centre hospitals and 193 types of special medicines to various primary health centres. The government has also empowered Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs) to procure the medicines as per the local demand.
For the current financial year, government has sanctioned Rs 254 crore in the first phase for procurement of approved medicines under Niramaya scheme. Provision of Rs 58 crore has also been done for local purchase of medicines by the CDMOs, the sources said.
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