Allegations surface as patients claim to be directed to outside pharmacies for prescribed medicines.
Patients seeking treatment at Sassoon General Hospital and BJ Medical College in Pune have raised concerns over the unavailability of prescribed medications within the hospital premises, prompting an official probe into the matter.
According to government regulations, all government-run hospitals are mandated to adhere to a ‘zero prescription’ policy, providing patients with free treatment, medicines, and screening facilities at nominal charges.
Sandip Pandey, a relative of a patient, recounted his experience, stating, “Despite my uncle’s admission following an accident and subsequent fracture treatment, essential medicines prescribed by the doctor were unavailable at the hospital pharmacy. I was compelled to purchase them from an external source, incurring significant expenses.”
In response to the grievances, the hospital administration has constituted a three-member committee tasked with investigating the allegations and implementing corrective measures. The committee comprises Dr. Ajay Tawre, Dr. Sangeeta Dabhade, and Dr. Sanjay Munde, who will conduct a thorough inquiry and submit their findings to Dr. Vinayak Kale, the dean of BJMC and Sassoon.
Dr. Tawre emphasized that the hospital maintains an adequate stock of essential medications and consumables, raising concerns over the purpose behind the alleged prescriptions leading patients to seek medications externally. He assured that stringent action would be taken against any medical practitioners found violating protocols.
The initiative to enforce the ‘zero prescription’ policy was spearheaded by the former dean, Dr. Sanjiv Thakur, in April last year. Substantial investments were made to procure medications worth crores of rupees, ensuring seamless availability and minimizing patient inconvenience.
