In so far as three Government Hospitals are concerned, all medicines are provided free of cost to indoor patients. Medicines not available in the hospital are procured from authorized local chemist by the hospital authorities on emergency basis. In OPD also medicines are dispensed free of cost to the patients on valid prescription of the doctors of these hospital as per hospital formulary. As far as AIIMS is concerned, generic medicines are being provided to OPD patients free of cost at New Delhi and Jhajjar campuses. In so far as PGIMER, Chandigarh is concerned the patients who are admitted in the general ward are given free medicines, which are available in the hospital pharmacy.
No such complaints have been received with regard to the inferior quality of medicines being given to the patients. As far as the above stated Central Govt. Hospitals are concerned, supply of the Drug is accepted only after getting the test report from the supplier of every batch of medicine supplied. Medicines received are inspected by the inspecting committee before the distribution. In AIIMS, a Monitoring Committee has been constituted for ensuring the quality and adequate supply of free generic medicines to OPD patients. The Health Minister was replying to a question in the Lok Sabha here today.