949 get medicines at doorsteps through helpline

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 30

As many as 949 persons have benefited by the helpline to deliver medicines to patients.

The helpline, 0177-2626076 and 0177-2626077 and toll-free number 1070, was started by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on April 4 that any person requiring medicine can place his request on these numbers.

This service has proved a boon for 948 patients with drugs inspectors acting as bridge between them and chemists, a spokesperson of the government said here today.

Till date, 1,059 requests had been received and medicines delivered in 90 per cent cases and the remaining are under process. The medicines were even delivered in the remotest areas like Kalpa, Sangla, Pooh and Nichar in Kinnaur district, Nirmand and Anni in Kullu district, Neogal Sari and Nerwa in Shimla district, he added.

Mohan, a resident of Kullah village in Sirmaur district, who urgently required medicines, used the helpline to get life-saving drugs during the curfew.

As many as 575 vendors have been authoried for home delivery of medicines. These include 20 vendors in Bilaspur, nine in Chamba, 32 in Hamirpur, 44 in Kangra, 19 in Kullu, one in Lahaul-Spiti, 93 in Mandi, 125 in Shimla, 165 in Sirmaur, 40 in Solan and 23 in Una district.