Minister raps Ropar doctors for not prescribing free medicines

Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh conducted a surprise inspection at Ropar Civil Hospital today and pulled up doctors for allegedly directing patients to purchase branded medicines from the market, despite these being available for free at the hospital.

Speaking to mediapersons after the inspection, the minister said show-cause notices would be issued to the doctors concerned.

He said the government had ensured the availability of all essential medicines in hospitals and warned that strict action would be taken against doctors not prescribing these to their patients. He said funds have also been provided to the hospitals to purchase medicines from outside and provide it to patients in case they were not available in stock. “Despite this, doctors are prescribing branded, high-cost medicines to patients that are available in the market, which is unacceptable,” he said.

He met patients in OPDs and many of them complained about non-availability of doctors in various specialities. Admitting to a shortage of medical staff, the minister said the state government was set to recruit 1,000 doctors soon to fill the gap.