Suhail Rather
Bandipora, Oct 10: The practice of prescribing costly branded medicines to poor patients has continued in District Hospital Bandipora for years, giving a free hand to Pharma companies in the distribution of medicines in hospitals and outside hospital premises.
Speaking with the Kashmir News Service, Ghulam Ahmad whose wife was admitted to the district hospital said that for the last three days, doctors continuously prescribed them medicines that were not available in hospital forcing him to buy them from private medical shops.
Another patient Rayees Ahmad said the doctor at the Hospital prescribed him a tablet for 3 days. So I went to buy 6 tablets for 3 days but the chemists outside the hospital are selling a full strip of 10 tablets while he needs only Six. “They refuse to cut the strip and force us to buy the whole strip. They are fleecing and harassing patients and nobody listens”.
“Doctors in the district hospital prescribed me medicines for three days, as I was suffering from cough and fever when I visited to buy those medicines from outside the district hospital they did not cut even a single tablet from 10 tablets while saying this whom we will give these tablets if we cut these, they are costly”, said Rayees Ahmad while speaking with KNS.
“Lack of prescription audit and its strict implementation, alleged medical corruption, freebies to doctors are counted among the vital reasons for mass medications in district hospital Bandipora—leaving poor patients at high risk”, several patients alleged.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
They said not a single doctor in DH Bandipora prescribes generic medicines. “Why Should doctors at government hospitals prescribe with brand names of medicines while they are supposed to write generic names of basic medicine/salt so that we can buy from Jan Avshudi clinics at cheaper rates? Questioned patients.
The patient suffers from the side effects of medicine that isn’t required and many a time low-quality medicine prescribed on account of freebies is ineffective in treating their ailments and on the contrary causes adverse effects.
“Various types of medicines are available in hospital supply but mostly doctors prescribe medicines which are not available and are costly “, patients alleged.
Meanwhile speaking with the KNS, Medical Superintendent District Hospital Bandipora Dr Mohd. Shafi Koka assured he will monitor the prescriptions by doctors regularly to ensure no unethical practice at the hospital.
“We are very soon going to restart Jan Ashudi centre in hospital also so that patients can get medicines at cheaper rates,” he added.
Meanwhile, Drug Officer Bandipora while speaking with the KNS said, "that the chemists have to give the medicines according to the prescription, and added if anyone is found involved in fleecing patients, action will be taken against him". (KNS)