Generic medicines will be provided free of cost at the government hospitals from November 1st, said Health Minister V S Sivakumar here on Sunday.
He was inaugurating the World Arthritis Day celebrations organised by the Kerala Arthritis and Rheumatism Society and Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences.
The Minister said that the common man is unable to adapt to the escalating drug prices. Taking this into consideration, the government has decided to provide drugs free of cost to all the patients without a BPL/APL categorisation.
In order to check the abuse of the doctors prescribing drugs to avail of higher commissions from the drug companies, the state government would make it mandatory to prescribe a generic drug if it is available at the hospital, he said.
The Minister inaugurated an exclusive helpline for arthritis at the number 8606113344. He said that the state government would give importance to arthritis treatment in the state.
Taking into consideration the significance of treating rheumatoid arthritis, more courses will be introduced in the Medical Colleges. He added that more campaigns on arthritis will be organised taking into consideration the health cost brought about by the delay in treatment.
the Minister highlighted that the state government will set up cancer treatment centres at the Alappuzha and Kottayam Medical Colleges at a cost of Rs 6 lakh.