Rajendranagar: ESI hospitals sans medicines

Rajendranagar : With no medicines in state-run ESI Hospitals and dispensaries for a long period, people, especially those suffering from chronic ailments, are having a tough time to cope with.

It is said that the supply of medicines was put on hold for the last 10 months. Placards saying "No Medicines Available" were displayed at almost all the hospitals forcing the poor ESI beneficiaries, employees of organised and unorganised sectors, return home in distress.

To raise the issue about the sufferings of patients, the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), city cell, has planned a protest at office of the Director Insurance Medical Services, opposite New Gandhi Hospital, Musheerabad, on November 25 at 11.30 am to take on the Central government, over its apathy towards the suffering employees.

"To drag the central government's attention toward the issue, we are holding a protest at Director Insurance Medical Services, said M Venkatesh, District Secretary CITU, Hyderabad.

"ESI beneficiaries working under different sectors are in distress due to non availability of medicines. Tablets such as paracetamol, painkillers, medicines for diabetes as well as drugs for cancer patients are not available for a long time in the hospitals and dispensaries under ESI.

These beneficiaries are forced to buy medicines from pharmacists by coughing extra bucks even though they were paying for the same from their salary every month to the government. This was burning a hole in their pocket," said Venkatesh.