Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader has said ventilators will be installed in all district hospitals and 20 taluk centres across the State, depending upon the number of inpatients.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Monday, he said the government would take a call on the number of ventilators required for a hospital on the basis of number of inpatients. He admitted that there was a huge demand for ventilators in all hospitals. Hospitals having a minimum of 10 beds will get the ventilator facility.
Referring to the generic drug stores, he said pharmacies would be opened in all the district general hospitals to provide medicines to the poor at cheaper prices. The stores would be located near government hospitals so that they are easily accessible to the general public, too. Besides, all the district hospitals will get imaging centres on a public-private partnership model. All branded medicines will be available round the clock throughout the year. He said the government was finalising the price of the medicines.
He said this move of the government would help people get services such as MRI, CT scan, implantation of pacemakers at an affordable cost.
Asked about e-pharmacy, he said he would not encourage people to buy medicines online. “Druggists require doctors’ prescription. How can they sell drugs people demand? If they are keen to sell drugs at a lower price, they could set up shops in villages for the benefit of rural people,” he said.
He said the government would provide free health care to all working journalists. The government will bear 30 per cent of the medical expenses and the Information Department the rest of the cost, he added.
Published 02 November 2015, 21:15 IST