Srinagar, Feb 23: To stop the unnecessary prescription of drugs and tests by doctors, the administration is likely to review the prescription audit norms in J&K UT.
While talking to Rising Kashmir, Administrative Secretary, Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department, Bhupinder Kumar, said though the sale of generic drugs at Janaushadhi Kendras across hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir had improved as compared to previous years, the authorities will soon review the prescription audit.
“The PACs were aimed to procure drugs from the generic stores of the government hospitals,” he said.
“In the financial year 2021-2022, there was a sale of generic medicines worth Rs 22 cores in Janaushadhi Kendras which has increased to 28 crores in 2022-23 (till Dec),” he said.
“Prescription audit is a regular phenomenon and we will improve it wherever needed. Every effort is being made to ensure no unnecessary drugs are being prescribed,” he said.
Despite the Prescription Audit Committees (PACs) in place in Jammu and Kashmir, mass medications across hospitals continue with no check on prescription audit norms by the health department.
Talking to Rising Kashmir, patients from different areas alleged that unnecessary prescriptions were pushing them to immense trouble.
Saleem Ahmad, a patient who recently was unwell and visited the nearby SDH Pattan in Baramulla said the doctor prescribed him medicines of Rs 1500 for just cough and cold.
“The situation is very bad. There is a lot of difference between the prescription of one and another doctor. A common man doesn’t know what the doctor writes on the prescription. This must be stopped and strict action should be taken against doctors,” he said.
Showkat Ahmad, a resident of Magam said not only unnecessary drugs but additional diagnostic tests are also prescribed to patients, which is unafordable for poor patients.
“Recently, I went to the hospital and I was suffering from stomach pain. I was asked to undergo some diagnostic tests that were later rejected by the other doctor,” he said.
Similar complaints continue to pour in the hospitals and health departments wherein patients have raised hue and cry over the lack of prescription audit.
A senior consultant at J&K Health Department said mass medication is a burden for patients. “I have seen many doctors prescribing unnecessary medicines. It is important to write a good company or brand and whatever is relevant,” he said.
The problem is more severe in rural hospitals that don’t have Janaushadhi Kendras and patients are bound to visit private medical shops leaving no option for them.
