Supply of cost-free medicines to district health institutes not regular

Salyan / Feb 4: The district health institutes are facing difficulties in distributing cost-free medicines in the backdrop of the failure on part of the government to supply such medicines.

District Health Office, Salyan said that it has the authority to purchase only 20 per cent of the total demand while relying on the centre and regional administration for the rest of the medicines distributed for free.

“Of the 70 types of medicines the government has provisioned for distribution for free, 50 per cent is supplied from the centre while the rest is purchased in the district, and it is not feasible for only the district to purchase such medicines. The supply of medicines from the centre and the regional authority has not been regular for the past two years,” District Public Health Chief, Dr Manisha Rawal said.

Dr Rawal assured that even if the centre and regional administration do not supply medicines, the district will make sure that medicines are not in short supply.

“We have already distributed medicines in the two primary health posts among other health units in the district to last for two months,” Rawal shared and added further, “We have received additional one million rupees from the ministry to purchase medicines and the contract has already been agreed upon.”

Rawal refused to say what will happen if the medicines supplied for two months are used up. “I have made effort in personal level and institutionally to not let the shortage of medicines hit the district, and as a result of which we have received additional money,” she said. RSS