Civil Hospital pharmacy runs short of prescribed drugs

Sumeer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 22

Writhing in excruciating pain, 58-year-old Ram Kishori, a patient of kidney stone, is limping back to her home on Bhagu Road from the Bathinda civil hospital without medicines. To her dismay, Kishori could get only one medicine out of five prescribed by the doctor at the dispensary that provides free-of-cost drugs.

With only Rs 50 at her disposal, Kishori could not muster the courage to purchase the rest of the prescribed medicines from private chemists, who charge exorbitantly. Left with barely any choice, she cursed the Health Department and headed towards the exit gate of the hospital teary eyed.

There are many such patients, majority of them financially-deprived, who are forced to purchase their medicines from private chemist shops at exorbitant prices as a majority of the medicines prescribed by the doctors are not available at the hospital.

A reality check conducted by a team of The Tribune revealed that barring a handful, patients were not getting free medicines at the government hospital.

Lovepreet Kaur (16) from Amarpura did not receive even a single medicine out of the four prescribed by one of the eye specialists at the hospital. Her mother, Parveen Kaur, could get only one medicine out of the four prescribed by one of the skin specialists.

Similarly, Dharminder Kakki from Maur had to purchase five medicines out of eight prescribed by the doctor for Rs 800 from a chemist shop. Barjesh Kumar from Goniana did not get even a single medicine at the hospital chemist out of the three prescribed by the doctor.

A senior functionary in the Health Department said some doctors, in the garb of prescribing quality medicines, recommend only branded medicines to patients which were often not available at the government hospital.

“Doctors are well aware about the ‘pocket load’ (paying capacity) of patients but they still choose to prescribe expensive medicines in return of the commission they receive from the brands,” he added.

One of the doctors at the hospital said with barely any check, prescribing branded medicines which are not available at the civil hospital dispensary had become a norm now and authorities concerned had rendered a tacit approval for the same.

When contacted, Hari Narain Singh, Civil Surgeon, said “There is a shortage of medicines now. We will soon ensure that patients get maximum medicines at the Civil Hospital itself.”

On being asked why doctors prescribe medicines which are not available at the hospital, he said “There are clear-cut guidelines to doctors to prescribe medicines which are available at the government hospital. We will carry out random checks regarding prescription of medicines by doctors and if found on the wrong side, appropriate action will be taken against them.”