Cuttack, Oct. 16: Efficacy of medicine supply to poor patients under the Odisha State Treatment Fund scheme at the three state-run hospitals has come under judicial scrutiny.

Acting on a letter petition, Orissa High Court has sought details from the government on the scheme’s implementation through medicine stores of Hindustan Latex Limited at the three government hospitals in Cuttack, Burla and Berhampur.

Cuttack resident Loknath Rout had filed the petition on October 8, questioning the efficacy of the stores’ method and alleging that the poor patients were suffering due to a system loophole.

Though lawyers were on a strike, the division bench of acting Chief Justice Pradip Mohanty and Justice Biswajit Mohanty had taken cognisance of the petition and issued notices to the state health and family welfare department.

Patients under the BPL category, suffering from grave diseases, will get medicines from the HLL stores under the scheme, funds for which are sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Initially, the health secretary was asked to personally appear before the court on October 10 and explain about the usefulness of the HLL medicine stores system. However, he did not appear, citing exigencies in view of the impending cyclone. The matter has been posted for hearing on October 21 after the Puja vacation.

Rout alleged that medicine supply from the stores “has turned out to be a hoax”.

The ground reality indicated that poor patients were “left to the mercy of” the stores as they sell medicines, according to the requisition made by the treating physician and directly receive money from the office of the hospital superintendents.

As the poor patients have to buy medicines only from the stores, even if it is a life-saving drug, one gets it only if it is available. And if not, the patient has to wait till it reaches the counter, the petitioner stated. The petition further alleged that most medicines available at the stores are sold at a higher price than other private counters on or outside the hospital premises. More so, medicines of generic brands, which cost nearly 50 per cent less than the branded products, are not available at the stores.

The government should guide the company to procure generic products. This will decrease the financial load on the Odisha State Treatment Fund vis-à-vis ensuring availability of medicines at cheaper rates for the patients, the petition stated.