The government is planning to distribute drugs to poor patients “totally free of cost” in all government hospitals across the State.
A high-level official committee formed to study drug procurement and usher in transparency will shortly be visiting Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Kerala.
Disclosing this to presspersons on Wednesday, Sharan Prakash R. Patil, Minister for Medical Education, said that he was not happy with the existing drug procurement policy and affairs at Karnataka State Drug Logistics and Warehousing Society. The committee, headed by Director, Department of Medical Education, would visit the four States to study the centralised system of drug procurement.
There were complaints over non-distribution of medicines to patients, despite their availability in hospitals and doctors writing prescriptions that force patients to purchase medicines from pharmacies.
At present, every autonomous medical institution is procuring medicines worth crores of rupees through e-procurement.
New medical colleges
The Minister said the Medical Council of India had sought some clarifications with regard to opening of six new government medical colleges in the State. “Those clarifications are minor, including term of Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Health Department to use services of government hospitals, and the same will be sent in the next two days,” the Minister clarified.
OPEC opening
The Rajiv Gandhi Super-speciality Hospital, popularly known as OPEC Hospital will be re-opened on November 1 at Raichur. This has been a long-standing demand of the people of Hyderabad Karnataka region.
“Tenders for equipment will be floated by the end of next week,” he said.
