Niramaya, people’s drug scheme a non-performer

BHUBANESWAR: Several discrepancies have been found in the State Government’s flagship free drug distribution scheme, Niramaya. Non-availability of drugs at the hospitals, absence of online systems and lack of automated drug distribution counters have come to the fore during surprise visits by Secretaries of different departments.The districts which have been reviewed recently are Deogarh, Balangir, Dhenkanal and Bhadrak where performance of the scheme is far from satisfactory. Patients are forced to suffer and purchase medicines from outside due to the absence of essential drugs in Niramaya counters. 

Sources said, of 263 items of drugs to be supplied by Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited (OSMCL) in Deogarh, 236 were available apart from 42 different consumables at the warehouse.
It was observed that certain medicines could not be procured due to non-availability of rate contract, non-finalisation of post GST rates and delay in tender process for some new items which were incorporated in the central procurement list for 2017-18. 

In Balangir district, the health facilities including Chudapali CHC, Kantabanjhi CHC and Sastrinagar upgraded PHC have not updated their opening balance and the three along with Kandhpalipada UPHC and Khaparakhole CHC have not issued any item to their  peripheries through the software. 

While hospitals in Dhenkanal do not have fully automated drug distribution counters, drug distribution centres (DDCs) do not have online system in Bhadrak district. Though the State Government has developed a robust dependable IT support system for supply chain management and smooth implementation of the scheme, many districts were found not using the e-Niramaya software properly.

Meanwhile, the Health and Family Welfare Department has asked the district authorities to monitor officers with the help of Niramaya App, which has been developed to access stock position or information on any drug across the State. The application also enables comparison of stock  between any two facilities and gives nil stock analysis report of  the drug warehouses. 

“A guide to download the App and its use has been developed. It will be shared with all districts. Plans are afoot to develop advanced features like drug demand forecasting, stock reallocation among the warehouses, reallocation of drugs nearing expiry, online payment module and SMS and e-mail alerts during important transactions will be developed,” said an official.Under the Niramaya scheme, patients can avail 570 types of drugs besides 83 surgical and 107 anti-cancer items. At least one DDC will remain open 24x7 at all medical colleges, major health institutions, DHHs and SDHs and during OPD timing at the CHCs.