KOZHIKODE: As many as 23 sickle cell anaemia patients in Malappuram cannot avail of medicines because the authorities are insisting on community certificates this time. According to sources, packets containing 2,670 tablets of hydoxyurea have been stacked at Chungathara community health centre (CHC) for nearly three months without even a single patient availing the medicine.
“The district has 23 sickle cell anaemia patients, who are all tribals except two, and living in colonies adjacent to the forests under Chungathara block. This is the first time, authorities are insisting on community certificate for availing the free medicine,” said the source. “Even without producing any certificate it is a big task to coerce tribals to come to the hospital and take medicines. This type of unwanted restriction would further alienate tribals,” he added.
But according to Dr Praveena K.K, the Medical Officer at Chungathara CHC, the certificate was needed as the vigilance wing of the finance department insisted on it to be sure that the expensive medicine was being delivered only to the eligible.
“We had been distributing hydoxyurea to ST communities without demanding any certificate as we knew that they were tribals. But the finance audit wing demanded proof this time. Many tribal families do not have any data including a ration card. We have approached the Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) officials for the certificate,” she explained.
She affirmed that the medicine would be distributed within a week after tackling all bureaucratic hassles. Malappuram district medical officer (DMO) Dr. V. Ummer Farook told DC that he was unaware of the issue and would look into it.
