Patients suffer due to confusion between Kendra and doctors

Sirsi: The Janaushadhi Kendra set up four months back in the premises of the Pandit General Hospital in Sirsi has been failing day by day.

People allege that due to the confusions between the contract agencies and the hospital doctors, this centre has not been benefitting the poor.

“Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) is the implementing agency of Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). So, medicines from agencies recognised by the BPPI are only supplied to the Janaushadhi Kendra. More than 600 medicines certified by the BPPI can be stocked in the Janaushadhi Kendra. Based on this, a letter has been written to the Pandit Hospital requesting it to give a list of medicines that is generally prescribed by each department. But the hospital has not responded till now. It has not given any list. The hospital authorities state that they do not have the power to write the list of medicines. We are ready to stock the medicines which the doctors recommend”, said Venkatesh Naik of Scodwes, an NGO, who is in-charge of the Janaushadhi Kendra.

He says that patients coming to the government hospital have to go to private medical stores as the Janaushadhi Kendra, which is meant to supply medicines to poor people at affordable costs, are unable to stock required medicines. The poor people would be benefitted if the doctors do not suggest the list of medicines that the Kendra needs to stock.

However Administrative Medical Officer Gajanan Bhat of Pandit Hospital said that it was their responsibility to provide free medicines to patients coming to government hospitals. Funds were available to purchase those medicines and they were accordingly purchased. Except for protein powder and health tonics which provide nutrients to 
the body, all other life-saving drugs were available in the hospital. An indent had been put for that. Even there was scope for buying new medicines. So, they need not ask the patients coming to the hospital to buy medicines from outside stores.

“When we enquire about some medicines in the Janaushadhi Kendra, they say that there is no stock and that they cannot stock branded medicines. They only have generic medicines which the doctors do not prescribe”, said a patient.

Taluk Panchayat vice-president Chandru Devadig said that doctors must mention the composition of the medicines and not the brand name while prescribing medicines to the patients. Only then, patients will be able to buy it at an affordable cost at the Janaushadhi Kendras.