Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini has launched a sweeping reform of the state’s public health system, ordering an end to the practice of doctors’ forcing patients to buy medicines from private pharmacies.In a high-level review on Monday, Saini mandated that all govt hospitals migrate to a real-time centralized portal to track pharmaceutical stocks. The move is designed to strip away the excuse of “unavailability” that often leaves low-income patients burdened with high out-of-pocket expenses for medicines that should be provided free of charge. Under the new directive, any doctor who prescribes medicine from an external pharmacy must now explicitly certify on the official outpatient (OPD) slip that the hospital’s own stock is exhausted. Chief medical officers (CMOs) will be held personally accountable for any breaches of the policy.Real-Time AccountabilityThe CM’s office characterised the move as a push for transparency in a system often criticized for procurement delays and “leakages”. The system includes inventory tracking, replenishment mandate, and procurement reform. Doctors will have digital access to live stock levels, removing the “scope” for unnecessary external prescriptions. CMOs must now communicate medicine requirements to empanelled suppliers at least four days in advance to prevent stock-outs. Saini ordered that equipment and medicine bidding become “time-bound,” emphasizing that delays in the supply chain will no longer be tolerated.The overhaul extends beyond the pharmacy. Saini directed that advanced diagnostic tools, including CT and MRI scans, be installed in all district hospitals to prevent patients from traveling long distances for basic imaging. While 10 districts have already completed these upgrades, the CM set a deadline for the remaining 12 districts to follow suit “at the earliest.”Addressing the Staffing GapTo manage the high patient load, the state govt confirmed it will pivot to a more flexible staffing model. Until full-time specialists can be permanently appointed to medical colleges and district hubs, the health and family welfare department has been authorized to hire doctors on a contractual basis to ensure duty rosters remain filled. “Shortage of medicines at any level will not be tolerated,” Saini told senior officials, including health secretary Dr Sumita Misra. “Patients visiting govt hospitals should not face any inconvenience.”MSID:: 129902963 413 |
