From 1st November, doctors in Kerala will only prescribe generic drugs. Patients in government medical colleges and hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode will be prescribed only free generic drugs irrespective of their economic status.

“In the first phase, through these eight hospitals, 952 varieties of generic drugs would be disbursed free of cost and irrespective of the APL, BPL divide,” said Kerala health minister V S Sivakumar.

The main aim of the initiative is to help those who are being fleeced by the drug mafia by charging exorbitant prices. The steat has estimated an expense of Rs 230 crore for implementing this scheme, he said. In the second phase the drugs would be given through eight other general hospitals and 15 district hospitals, and in the third phase, through taluk hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres of the state.

The drugs have been adequately stocked and doctors have been given guidance in prescribing the drugs. The Kerala Medical Service Corporation Limited (KMSCL) has also supplied generic drugs for diabetes, blood pressure and kidney disorder to all the primary and community health centres.

This is to bring down the price of drugs for lifestyle disorders. KMSCL has also supplied 81 varieties of antibiotics, 21 for respiratory disorder, 51 drugs for cardiac disorder, 59 for ENT, 20 for gynecology related treatment and 55 for mental illness. The 107 varieties of cancer drugs supplied through the Regional Cancer Centre, has been now made available in all the medical college hospitals and in Ernakulam general hospital.

For patients who have complaints regarding the supply, special liaison officers have been deployed. in these eight hospitals.

Complaints would be redressed by a committee comprising doctors.

Stage is set for the generic drug wave in the state. From Thursday the doctors in all the five medical college hospitals and general hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode will prescribe only free generic drugs to the patients. In the first phase through these eight hospitals 952 varieties of generic drugs would be disbursed free of cost irrespective of the APL, BPL divide,” said V S Sivakumar, health minister.

The main aim of the initiative is to help the people of the state who are being fleeced by the drug mafia by charging exorbitant prices for branded drugs. The government has estimated an expense of Rs 230 crore for implementing this scheme, he said.

In the second phase the drugs would be given through eight other general hospitals and 15 district hospitals. In the third phase, the taluk hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres of the state. The drugs have adequately stocked in all the eight hospitals now and the doctors have been given necessary guidance in prescribing the generic drugs.

The Kerala Medical Service Corporation Limited (KMSCL) has also supplied generic drugs for diabetes, blood pressure, and kidney disorder to all the primary and community health centres which will be supplied from November 1. This is to bring down the drug price for the lifestyle disorders. The KMSCL has supplied 81 varieties of antibiotics, 21 for respiratory disorder, 51 drugs for cardiac disorder, 59 for ENT, 20 varieties for gynaec related treatment, 55 drugs for mental illness have been supplied to these hospitals. The 107 varieties of cancer drugs supplied through Regional Cancer Centre, has been now made available in all the medical college hospitals and in Ernakulam general hospital.

For the patients who have any complaints regarding the supply of generic drugs, in these eight hospitals special liaison officers have been deployed. The complaints would be redressed by a committee comprised by the doctors in the respective hospitals.

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