Ajmer’s JLN hosp has drop boxes for unused medicines

Jaipur: A unique initiative has been taken by JLN Medical College in Ajmer for preventing wastage of medicines, which it has been providing for free to patients under the state government’s free medicine scheme.
The college administration has placed boxes at the drug distribution counters in the hospital where patients, who have recovered, can drop the leftover medicines so that other patients can use it.
“We implemented the initiative two months ago and now people are aware about the importance of medicines lying unused in houses, for treatment of other patients,” said Dr Veer Bahadur Singh, principal and controller, JLN Medical College, Ajmer. He said the boxes are now being filled up to to three-fourth its capacity daily. “For ensuring that medicines, which are being dropped in the boxes, are fit for reuse, a pharmacist has been deployed,” Dr Singh said.
JLN Medical College implemented the initiative realizing that if medicines purchased from a private chemist and they are unused, a patient returns it. But, in the government sector, the facility is not available, due to which medicines which patients take home from hospitals under free medicines, go waste, if not used by patients in case of recovery and cure.