No free drug at IGIMS as govt denies funds

PATNA: The state government's ambitious plan to provide free drugs in the emergency and outpatient departments of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS)-Patna has failed to take off with the state finance department turning down the health department's proposal to sanction Rs 10 crore for the purpose.
Sources quoted the finance department as saying it could not grant such a big amount to IGIMS since it is an autonomous institution.The health department has now prepared a fresh proposal and sent it to the finance department.
IGIMS director Dr N R Biswas said, "It was a proposal of the health department. It is sad if the finance department has turned it down. The two government departments should function in unison." He said there was no alternate plan and the patient would have to self-finance the drugs until the government made an arrangement. "The hospital is ready to provide all additional facilities, including meals and dress, to the patients if the government funds the same."
Dr Sunil Kumar Singh, a member of the Board of Governors of IGIMS, said, "It is high time a super-specialty institution like IGIMS started providing free medicines at least to emergency department patients. We would request the government to reconsider the matter." He said IGIMS, like PMCH and other hospitals, must also provide free diet to patients as prescribed by the dietitian concerned.