Short supply of generic medicines in the government hospital pharmacies in the rural areas of Chattisgarh poses large health concerns, according to doctors working in the rural hospitals in the state.

While seeking advice for the crucial issue from medico-legal experts through an online discussion forum of medical professionals, a doctor from a rural hospital wrote that the supply of medicines to his hospital was not sufficient even for two days and the benefit of the situation was taken by private medical stores in the vicinity. The doctor, while communicating the plight of the patients visiting the hospital, said the physicians are bound to prescribe the medicines by generic names as the chief minister has issued an order by circular to all the medical practitioners in the government sector to go with generic names only.

While issuing the order, the chief minister was acknowledging the decision of the Medical Council of India (MCI), which in January last year had issued a directive to all registered medical professionals for generic prescription of medicines.

The doctor says that whatever formula the physicians write, the medical shop owners give the costliest medicines to the patients. Even though the situation is so grave, the doctors will follow the directive of the chief minister irrespective of availability. Concerning the health of poor patients from the village, the physician complains that it is hard and painful to work in the rural areas without adequate medicines in the pharmacies.

The doctor alleges that the medical stores are exploiting the patients and 90 per cent of them are illiterate. There is no intervention from the government despite reports of the exploitation and the short supply in hospitals in the media. The medico-legal expert has advised the doctor to explain to the patients about cheaper alternatives.

He further said all the rural areas in the state are rife with quacks and they treat 80 per cent of the rural public by visiting their homes directly. In most of the cases, the patients die either in their own houses or at last in some nearby hospitals.

Regarding negligence on the part of qualified doctors, the physician commented that some qualified doctors (MBBS degree holders) who are practicing in rural areas in private clinics administer injections on patients and charge huge amount without any medical bill or handing over any prescription.  He said this is also exploitation like what the medical stores are doing by charging high prices for medicines.