Buying medicines at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences has turned out to be a chore in itself. While the hospital’s own provision store not adequately stocked, the Jan Aushadhi (generic drug) outlet too had downed shutters about a year ago. Now, even the lone private medical store on the hospital premises has shut shop about two months ago after the contract with the owner got over. Hospital officials said neither has a tender been called for a new drug store in the interim, nor are talks on to start a generic (Jeevandhara) outlet in collaboration with Hindustan Latex Limited, as was planned earlier.
As a result, patients and their attendants have no option but to buy drugs from medical stores near Punjagutta. It’s difficult for patients admitted in the new blocks at Banjara Hills, as there are no drug stores nearby. R. Ramesh, brother of a patient in the orthopaedic ward, said: “I had to get medicines from stores in Punjagutta. It’s surprising that such a big hospital doesn’t have a drug store.” A Nims doctor said, “The contract with the private medical shop expired on June 29 and there is no drug store in Nims. It appears that the Jan Aushadhi scheme has been forgotten. There had been talks about a Jeevandhara store in collaboration with Hindustan Latex Ltd, but there’s no upd-ate on that front either.”