Hyderabad: Health minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha has warned of strict action against hospital authorities if patients face difficulties due to medicine shortages. “The government is taking the issue of medicine shortages very seriously. If any patient suffers due to negligence, those responsible will face consequences,” said the minister at the Pharmacy and e-Aushadhi workshop held at the Dr Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource Development (MCRHRD) Institute in Hyderabad.
Rajanarasimha said the government has been working to improve healthcare services, including setting up Central Medical Stores in every district for efficient medicine distribution. “We have acted on your suggestions. Vehicles have been provided for distribution. Computers and internet facilities are now available at all pharmacy stores and we are supplying the medicines you need,” he said.
Despite these efforts, he said that reports of shortages continue to surface. He directed hospital superintendents and senior officials to investigate and address the reasons behind such issues immediately. Daily inspections of pharmacy stores by superintendents and RMOs have been made mandatory to check inventory, proper storage and resolve problems.
The government has also decided to form three-member committees in every district to improve monitoring. These will include the District Medical and Health Officer, the District Coordinator of Health Services and the superintendent of teaching hospitals. “If there are any problems, pharmacists should bring them to the attention of the committee,” the minister added.
He also asked pharmacists to share medicine availability details with doctors and encouraged the use of the e-Aushadhi portal for stock updates.
