Helpline for medicines is 'dead', 700 complaints; not a single one noticed

The responsibility of supplying all the required medicines to every patient was assigned to the relevant institution. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had emphasized that if this task is not fulfilled, people should report their complaints to the toll-free number 104. Since Independence Day, there have been approximately 700 complaints received on this helpline. Unfortunately, it appears that these concerns are not receiving the necessary attention, leaving patients with no choice but to purchase medicines from private hospitals.

Since August, all government hospitals have been offering free testing and treatment, including medicines and tablets, which has led to long queues in front of doctors. However, only a limited number of the prescribed medications are government-provided, and patients must purchase the rest privately, resulting in financial challenges. Complaints regarding this issue have been reported from various parts of the state.

What Lokmat saw..

1. on August 29, a girl was examined at the Beed District Hospital due to her complaint of abdominal pain. The doctor prescribed two medications, but the other two were not provided. As a result, her relatives contacted the helpline 104 for assistance. However, as of October, the issue has not been resolved, and when inquired about it, the concerned authority stated that they had not received any information regarding the matter.

2. In October, a young man at Beed Hospital was prescribed five different types of medicines. However, only two of these medicines were available, and the other three were not provided. Unfortunately, despite this issue, it seems that no attention was given to address the problem.

3.The toll-free number 104 was supposed to provide medicines, but it appears that these complaints were not adequately addressed. There seems to be a lack of follow-up or review of these complaints, leaving individuals dissatisfied with the service. It's crucial for the government to not only provide toll-free numbers but also ensure that the reported issues are effectively resolved and that the healthcare services promised are delivered to the people.