Pvt drug stores block Jeevandhara
Tags:
The nexus between a former superintendent of Gandhi Hospital, Hyderabad, and a private medical store has placed a question mark on the opening of the state government’s Jeevandhara store. The store, which makes subsidised generic medicines available, was to be set up on the hospital premises in collaboration with the Indian Red Cross. One of the private stores got a stay order recently from the court on the grounds that a fourth store (Jeevandhara) on the premises would cause losses to it. The litigation has resulted in poor patients being deprived of medicines at a discount of 40-90 per cent available in Jeevandhara stores.
The three existing medical stores on the Gandhi Hospital premises have been given extensions of between two to 10 years, which is illegal. The former superintendent, Dr Ashok Kumar, did not apply for ratification by the Hospital Development Society. “Under-the-table-activity” was said to be behind this illegal move.
Mr Syamala Rao, who developed the patient-friendly Jeevandhara concept and is the MD of Andhra Pradesh Medical Services Infrastructure Development Corporation, the nodal agency behind Jeevandhara, explained: “We will be the government pleader and try to vacate the stay order. They can’t stop a Jeevandhara store from coming up on the premises as public interest and patients’ welfare is associated with it.”
Mr Uday Bhaskar, the general manager of Jeevan-dhara Generic Drugs Concept, said: “As per GO 54, hospitals can’t renew the leased-out existing retail outlets when the current date expires.” Dr Mehbub, Gandhi Hospital superintendent, pointed out: “One of the stores with the lowest extension, has taken ratification from the HDS, filed the case and dragged us to court. Two other stores haven't been ratified. I will try to vacate the stay order.” The private medical stores point out that if a Jeevandhara store comes up on the hospital premises, the patients will flock to the subsidised government store and they would incur losses.
Post new comment