TS to copy TN, ban medical shops near govt hospitals

Hyderabad: The State Health Department has decided to seize all medical shops within a three-kilometer radius of government hospitals in the city, citing a possible unholy nexus between government hospital doctors and pharmacies. A decision to this effect was taken at a recent review meeting held by health minister T Harish Rao.

According to highly placed sources in the health department, several government doctors were found to be prescribing medical drugs from private pharmacies although the same medicines were available at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHC), Sub-District/Divisional Hospitals (SDHs), and District Hospitals (DHs).

Sources said some doctors even operated pharmacies on the premises of government hospitals, compelling patients to pay for medications that were otherwise free.

Recently, the government seized a few medical shops, including a pharmacy within the Jangaon district hospital.

In light of this, Harish Rao convened a meeting with hospital managements, including Resident Medical Officers (RMOs), Superintendents, and others, and gave them instructions to emulate Tamil Nadu’s policy of not allowing private medical shops to operate within three kilometres of government hospitals and ensuring that all 820 branded medications that were shortlisted by the department are available in the state’s hospitals.

Further, the Telangana State Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMSIDC) was additionally tasked by the health department with keeping a three-month supply of medicines by monitoring their expiration dates.

The TSMSIDC has been ordered by the government to upload outpatient data as well as a list of all the drugs that are now available in every hospital in the state.

“The TSMSIDC should procure all 820 medicines and distribute them to government hospitals. PHCs, CHCs, SDHs, and DHs should upload the inpatient and outpatient drug data online to ensure transparency and accountability. The heads of the department should ensure that patients receive the best care and medical facilities at government hospitals,” said a senior official from the health department requesting anonymity.  

The TSMSIDC was also instructed to improve and repair the diagnostic centres run by the government so that they are on par with the private ones.