Financial burden on poor patients
Sambalpur: There is a shortage of essential medicines and medical equipment provided to patients under the Niramaya Yojana in Vimsar. As a result, doctors are forced to write to buy some common medicines and equipment. This puts the financial burden on the poor patients ’heads and often creates a crisis of understanding between doctors, junior doctors, staff, patients and relatives. The state pharmaceutical corporation (OSMCL) provides medicines and all kinds of medical equipment to large hospitals like Vimsar. So it is not always possible for the pharmaceutical corporation to meet the full requirements of the hospital. It supplies about 90% of the material needed. The remaining 80% of hospital authorities call for tenders. Despite this, not all needs can be met.
Often there is an urgent and urgent need for a variety of items that are purchased from some local penalty vendors. These vendors play an important role in meeting the urgent needs of the hospital, although their prices are higher than the vendors supplying goods through OSMCL and tenders. Hospital authorities often rely on them. So now the state government has no choice but to rely more on such private suppliers as there are government agencies like the Pharmaceutical Corporation. Although there is an urgent need, it is allowed to buy medicines and medical supplies from penalty vendors. But given the government’s approach, hospital authorities no longer have the courage to buy anything from local vendors. In addition, the Vimsar authorities are unable to repay the multi-crore arrears of these local vendors and are also reluctant to pay more.
According to the information received, as of June last year, there were about Rs 7crore left in the list of such shops on Vimsaar, but now it has increased to Rs 10 crore. Even the hospital authorities could not put pressure on the shops to supply the supplies as the arrears could not be repaid. In such a situation, the financial burden is directly on the poor. Although the government provides free medical care, patients are dancing and buying a variety of essential medicines and equipment.
Currently, Burla General Hospital has a shortage of essential antibiotics, globes, and surgical equipment, such as protein injections and pipes. Doctors are being forced to advise patients to buy these. This is also causing dissatisfaction among the patient’s family. This is especially true for younger doctors. PG students from departments such as obstetrics, obstetrics and gynecology have reportedly reacted and expressed their dissatisfaction to the authorities. Currently, an average of 2,000 patients visit the Vimsar ward every day, while 200 to 500 patients are admitted to the hospital ward for treatment. In connection with the above problem, Vimsar Director Q. Asked by Lalit Meher, he acknowledged that there was a shortage of medicines and equipment. “Local suppliers are out of money, and they are reluctant to do so,” he said. So this is a temporary problem. He hoped it would be resolved soon. Today, a vehicle is scheduled to arrive from O4MCL. “It simply came to our notice then,Meher said.
