The free distribution of generic drugs through government hospitals will come into effect in Kerala from October 2. Generic medicine for all diseases is part of a new health scheme introduced by the Kerala government which is known as ‘Arogyakiranam’.

The scheme was inaugurated by UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi on September 29 at Thiruvananthapuram. It also includes the centrally sponsored health project, Rashtriya Swasthik Bal Karyakarm (RSBK) under NRHM, which ensures free medical care to all children upto the age of 18 years.

While briefing about the scheme, the state health minister V S Sivakumar said generic medicines for all diseases will be supplied to patients visiting medical colleges, district hospitals, taluk hospitals and primary healthcare centres.

When asked about the shortage of pharmacists in government hospitals, the minister said the government has decided to appoint 150 pharmacists from PHCs to the medical college pharmacies in order to streamline the generic drug distribution programme. He said for all diseases including cancer, cardiology etc, generic drugs will be prescribed by the doctors and more than 900 items of medicines of generic category will be stored in all the government pharmacies from next Month. An amount of Rs. 250 crore was allotted for this project, said the minister.

Earlier, while inaugurating the Pharmacists Day on September 25 at the Pharmacy Council office, V S Sivakumar said government is getting news that several pharmacies in the state are functioning without pharmacists and the issue will be taken seriously. To check the menace, government has ordered the pharmacy council to appoint Pharmacy Inspectors in every district. Likewise, all the unrecognised laboratories will be restrained.

He said government will also consider the proposals on new health policy submitted by the state pharmacy council. The minister complimented the president of Kerala Pharmacy Council, B Rajan, for all his services to the society and expressed satisfaction over the way the Council is functioning.