Medicines unavailable at Amrit pharmacy: Complaint to GMCH

CHANDIGARH: A Mohali based resident has submitted a complaint to officials of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, about unavailability of medicines in Amrit pharmacy in the hospital for Ayushman Bharat patients.
The patient also alleged the doctor had written the name of a private chemist shop to buy one of the consumables required for an eye surgery.Under Ayushmaan Bharat, the cost of the surgery, medicine and admission is borne by the government and a patient has to pay no fee. However, in the complaint against the GMCH, the patient alleged that she had to pay some Rs 5,000 for a Rs 6,000 surgery covered under the Centre’s insurance scheme.
Chinder Kaur, a 56-year-old patient, had to be operated upon for cataract under Ayushman scheme on April 25. A day before, she was admitted to GMCH. According to her relatives, the doctors asked for a list of items to be bought on the same day and given to them by 8pm.
Gurvinder Kaur, daughter of the patient, said, “The Amrit pharmacy had asked us to wait as some of the medicines could be arranged the next day by 10am. We requested the doctor who refused to operate unless all items had been submitted a day before the operation by 8pm.” She said, “We had no option but to shell out Rs 5,000 from our own pocket for medicines from a private chemist shop.”
However, the GMCH officials contested the allegations. “As per Amrit pharmacy, they don’t stock all items due to space constraints. They source any deficient item from their central store which was closed by the time the patient came to them. The patient was asked to come the next day to collect deficient items. As per submission of the department, patients attendant on his own purchased the deficient items from other stores,” said Prof Sudhir Garg, medical superintendent, GMCH. Additionally, the patient was tested positive for hepatitis C and the relatives were asked to buy tubing to prevent viral infection transmission to the operating team. “The doctor mentioned one name from where we could get the tubing. This was available in GMSH, Sector 16, campus with one chemist only and cost us additional Rs 4,000. However, the same was not used and returned to us,” said Gurvinder.
The GMCH officials said, “Tubing is to be used in a machine for surgery. There is only one supplier of tubing compatible with the machine available in GMCH. Amrit pharmacy has been directed to ensure 24-hour availability of commonly used items.”