Patients to get prescribed medicines free post-operation: Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Patients undergoing surgery in government hospitals will now get post-operation medicines free as prescribed by doctors irrespective of days or months.

Health Minister T Harish Rao who held a review with the department officials, directed them to ensure medicines prescribed by doctors should be provided free to patients irrespective of the number of days.

The minister said the hospitals should have medicines in stock sufficient for three months. The patients should be given blood from blood banks, but not the stocked variety and provide platelets and plasma whenever required. "Check the e-aushadhi and e-rakt website to know the real time information and make medicines available. The pharmacy management should be strengthened", he directed the officials.

The minister asked the Director of Health to regularly visit and check the district hospitals, know problems there and resolve them immediately. "The staff nurses should change their attitude towards patients and their attendants. They should always speak to them politely. There is no use of big hospitals and doctors when the staff nurses, sanitation staff and diet staff do not behave properly", observed Rao.

He said the staff with unruly behaviour would face action. The superintendents have all powers. If there is no change they can be suspended, the minister warned.

He wanted officials to ensure cleanliness not only outside hospitals, but also on the premises. "The bills of the sanitation staff and contract employees should be provided on time. The responsibility of this would be with the superintendents of hospitals. They should come to hospitals 10 minutes before and leave ten minutes after the office timings, the minister stressed.