No More Running Around for Free Medicines: Model Pharmacy at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College
An integrated pharmacy counter has been set up at Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram to provide medicines to beneficiaries of various health insurance schemes. This is the first model pharmacy counter of its kind in the state, launched on the instructions of Health Minister Veena George.
During a visit to the Medical College, the Minister received complaints from patients that beneficiaries under health insurance schemes were facing difficulties in obtaining medicines. They had to visit multiple pharmacies within the hospital campus. If a particular medicine was unavailable at one pharmacy, patients had to search elsewhere, causing inconvenience and delay.
After understanding the issue, the Minister directed that all empanelled institutions supplying medicines under different health insurance schemes should function near the health insurance counter. She also instructed that medicines be distributed from a single location for the convenience of patients.
Following this, the new integrated pharmacy counter was established near the old casualty block of the Medical College. The Main Store, Community Pharmacy, Karunya Pharmacy, and HLL pharmacy units, which are empanelled to distribute medicines, have been brought together at this location. An integrated billing counter has also been set up. A system has been arranged to ensure the supply of medicines 24 hours a day to beneficiaries covered under various health insurance schemes.
With this facility, patients can now receive free medicines from a single counter located near the health insurance desk, without having to move around the hospital campus.
Kerala provides the highest number of free treatments in India. Over the past five years, about 25 lakh people received free treatment worth ₹8,425 crore through schemes such as CASP, the Karunya Benevolent Fund, and Arogya Kiranam. During the same period, free medicines worth about ₹3,500 crore were distributed through KMSCL. The largest share of free treatment has been provided through medical colleges. In the last five years alone, Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram has delivered free treatment worth ₹535.35 crore.
