The Telangana state government is contemplating to launch e-Aushadhi software in all the government hospitals across the state from December 25. With this, the state government wants to ensure that there is transparency in drug dispensing and also make the doctors in hospitals accountable of patient records as the software is so designed to feed details of patient’s disease profiles, details of doctor examining the patient and prescriptions online in a real time mode.

As a pilot project, this (e-Aushadhi) programme is expected to be launched in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana state on the eve of Christmas, for which the district medical and health officials (DMHO) are working overtime to see that all the hospitals are equipped with, computers, laptops, printers, internet and other information technology related information. “If not all, initially we will start this project at least in some of the hospitals by end of this month in Mahabubnagar and based on the results we will further expand the programme in other hospitals in a phased manner,” informed Dr. Srinivas, DMHO, Mahabubnagar.

At present, there are about 84 PHCs, 11 urban health centers, 4 area hospitals, 7 community health centres and 7 civil hospitals in Mahabubnagar district. Earlier, the state government had provided laptops and tablets to some of the ASHA workers and a few other healthcare workers for gathering the details of pregnant women and children and their healthcare conditions in the state. The health department is expected to recall all these systems from them and use it for the e-Aushadhi programme. “To fully implement this project we still require 84 computers and 40 laptops in addition to other equipments like printers and internet connection. We have written to the government to provide these facilities. We are expecting them very soon before launching the programme,” said the DMHO.

Not just equipment shortage, but majority of the PHCs and major hospitals across the state are not having the pharmacists appointed to dispense drugs in the state. For instance, the district of Mahabubnagar itself has more than 15 pharmacists post vacant at various hospitals. “Without appointing pharmacist and other data entry operators, any move to implement the advanced information technology software will have no use. So let the government first fill up the vacant posts of pharmacists, doctors and other healthcare staff in the hospitals, only then the intended results will come out and transparency will be maintained,” observed Srinivas, a laboratory technician working in a government hospital.

The main aim of implementing the e-Aushadhi software programme in the government hospitals is to maintain transparency and accountability of patient records and available medicine stocks in the government hospitals. “This move by the government is to contain the fraudulent activities being carried out in government hospitals with regard to illegally selling of free government medicines to the private shops and clinics. There had been many incidents that came to light in Gadwal, Alampur etc, where stocks of ‘Not for sale’ medicines were seized by the drug control officials earlier. If this e-Aushadhi is implemented all these fraudulent activities will be contained and the real patient will be benefited,” said Dr. K.S. Moses, president of Depressed Rural Development Social Organization (DRDSO).