The State Government has put restrictions on entry of Medical Representatives (MRs) into the Government-run hospitals during the outpatient department (OPD) hours.
In a letter to all the District Headquarters Hospitals and Medical College & Hospital authorities, Health & Family Welfare Secretary Arti Ahuja has asked them to strictly implement the guidelines on prohibiting the MRs from entering into the hospitals during the OPD hours.
The Government is providing required equipments for surgery and quality medicines to all the State-run hospitals. However, the doctors on duty allegedly prescribe expensive medicines to patients to purchase them from outside drug stores although the medicines are available in the hospitals.
As the patients are asked to conduct the necessary tests outside, the lab technicians, nurses, ANMs and computer operators appointed in the hospitals are not used completely, officials say.
The Health Secretary has asked the heads of the medical institutions to prepare a complete report about availability of medicines and other items every week and inform all staffs including doctors and pharmacists as well as the wards and operation theatres.
She has also directed to advertise about free medicines, laboratory services and other items to the patients and visitors through an electronic display board and instal it at OPD and departments.
Further, Ahuja has issued guidelines for the hospitals for prescribing generic names of medicines. The chiefs of the hospitals have been asked to facilitate strict implementation of the guidelines.
All the prescriptions issued at the OPDs and wards will have to be scanned at the drug distribution centres of the hospitals for keeping a tab on the practice.
The drug godowns will be directly connected with the State Drug Corporation online. For the convenience of injured and physically-disabled persons, laboratory and diagnosis centre along with a waiting room for other patients will be opened on the ground floor of a hospital.
The nurses and ANMs will prepare the kits required for both normal and c-section deliveries in consultation with experts of obstetrics and gynaecology.
The hospital authorities have been asked to keep all the major equipments for delivery in stock for a week. If required, more equipments and medicines would be provided from the hospital drug room, it was mentioned in the guidelines.