In its fight against drug menace in the state, Punjab Government on Sunday made it clear that all patients attending the OPDs for de-addiction treatment at all community health centres, sub-district hospitals and district hospitals are being provided free medicines during the special de-addiction campaign going on in the state.
“If anyone finds any case of prescribed drugs being purchased by the patients or their families, they are requested to kindly bring into the notice of senior officials of the health department immediately,” said an official spokesperson of the Punjab Government.
Rebutting the reports that families of drug addict have been asked to pay for free treatment, the spokesperson clarified that no money is being charged for medicines for the treatment of the drug addicts.
Spokesperson said that the list of medicines to be provided free of cost are as per the guidelines and recommendations of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical and Educational Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.
It is further clarified that at no given time, instructions regarding waiver of fee for OPD slips or admission or indoor fee were passed by the authorities.
“The indoor patient fee at the drug de-addiction centres is for the food and other facilities and all the medicines are free,” the official added.