As many as 27 sub-divisional hospitals and 377 Community Health Centres (CHC) are yet to be included under the Niramaya scheme though a month has passed since it was launched on May 1 last by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Under the scheme, 570 different medicines are being provided free in Government hospitals through the Odisha Medical Corporation.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak held a review meeting on Monday on the scheme completing a month claiming the scheme to be a roaring success. The Minister informed that the left-out 27 sub-divisional hospitals and 377 CHCs will be brought under the scheme’s coverage in the coming days.
Nayak said in the first phase, the three Government-run medical colleges and hospitals, the Acharya Harihar Cancer Institute, the Sishu Bhawan and the 32 district headquarters hospitals have been included under the scheme and 75 dispensaries (medicine distribution centres) are functioning in these institutions, 37 out of them are 24×7 counters.
Nayak claimed that apart from in-patients, 4.4 lakh out patients in these institutions have benefited under the scheme over the one month period. He added that more than 14,000 out patients visiting these institutions are availing free medicines at these counters on an average in a day. Out of the 272 drugs listed under the essential drug list at the launch of the scheme, 170 varieties of drugs are being supplied, Nayak informed.
The Minister further informed that in the coming days on the basis of requirement while Primary Health Centres (PHC) will be provided with 297 varieties of drugs, district hospitals with 478 varieties, medical colleges and institutes like Acharya Harihar Cancer Institute will be proved with 570 varieties of drugs for free distribution.