Tighten noose

There are clear directions from the authorities that the doctors, working in the government hospitals, must not prescribe costly medicines to the patients, visiting the healthcare facilities, but once again the department has received the complaints regarding the issue, which indicates a huge nexus between the doctors and the pharmaceutical companies. In the result of such a nexus, the poor patients, who visit the hospitals, are being forced to face tremendous hardships as they are being literally pushed to the wall. These poor patients instead of getting relief are being forced to buy costly medicines that too from the private medical shops as these medicines are mostly not available in the hospitals. It is unfortunate that the doctors for their vested interests are taking the poor patients on a ride. However, the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) has raised an alarm in this regard recently and has directed the concerned authorities to ensure that such practices are put to an immediate end. There is a need to constitute a formal committee in this regard and should be directed to make sure that the orders issued in this regard are implemented in letter and spirit. There is a need to ensure transparency in this regard and those who are not following the directions for vested interests are taken to the task so that the poor people could heave a sigh of relief. It is the time when the DHSK should ensure that all the orders by the Prescriptions Audit Committee (PAC) are implemented in letter and spirit.