Ensuring the timely availability of medicines, especially antibiotics, and keeping a strict watch on the quality of medicines being disbursed at pharmacies, are among the top recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Welfare in its report on the functioning of the Central Government Health Scheme, recently presented in Parliament. It also urged a time-bound expansion of the CGHS network, especially in States and Union Territories where facilities available under the scheme are sparse.
The panel, headed by Rajya Sabha member Bhubaneswar Kalita, noted that there are complaints regarding the quality of medicines disbursed at the pharmacy counter of CGHS dispensaries. Stressing that the quality of medicines is of paramount importance while providing healthcare services, and that complaints in this regard should be taken seriously, the panel recommended that the Ministry establish a mechanism to ensure rigorous testing of medicines.
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“The Ministry may inspect these laboratories and surprise test any random batch of medicines through any independent NABL-accredited laboratory. The Ministry may also consider testing random batches of medicines from a reputed international laboratory,” it said.
24-hour turnaround time
Highlighting its concern about patients facing delays in getting medicines, especially antibiotics, the panel noted that the medicines are often not procured promptly, causing inconvenience to CGHS beneficiaries. “The Committee feels that the turnaround time to receive indented medicine should be reduced to less than 24 hours. The Ministry should make necessary course corrections to ensure that the indented medicines are available by the very next day morning,” it said.
Since CGHS caters to over 40 lakh beneficiaries across the country, the panel urged the Ministry to take proactive steps to set up new CGHS centres and consider setting up wellness centres and polyclinics at a rapid pace in underserved areas, especially in the suburbs of large cities where a considerable population of serving and pensioner beneficiaries reside. The Ministry should ensure that all aspirational districts in the country have CGHS centres and empanelled hospitals, it added.
More CGHS centres needed
“State of Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territories of Ladakh, A & N islands and Lakshadweep have no CGHS wellness centre,” the report noted.
Batting for the welfare of pensioners dependent on the scheme, the Committee said that there are many cities and towns with a sizeable number of Union government employees, pensioners, and their dependents, but which do not have any CGHS wellness centres. As a result, the beneficiaries, particularly those who have retired, are forced to travel long distances to get access to medical treatment under the scheme. “The Committee opines that this scenario, apart from being financially draining on the beneficiaries, also causes various other hardships to the beneficiaries,” it said.
