NEW DELHI: As many as 63 medicines were added to the list of free medicines provided to poor patients at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, the hospital said on Thursday. Patients at AIIMS will now get access to the treatment drugs of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes etc as the premier health institute has added 63 medicines to its list of drugs provided free of cost to low-income group
With the latest addition, aimed to increase accessibility to healthcare, the portfolio of free medicines has now swelled up to 359 such medicines. “In a significant move aimed at enhancing healthcare accessibility and affordability for the poor, AIIMS Delhi is pleased to announce an update to the list of medicines available free to the patients.
The competent authority has recently made the decision to expand the list of medicines available at the pharmacy from existing 296 to 359 medicines. Sixty-three medicines were added to the existing list,” AIIMS said in a statement.
Among the medicines included by the institute are Palbociclib which is used for the treatment of breast cancer and Dasatinib, which is prescribed for patients suffering from Leukemia, among others. In addition to that, regular insulin will also be available free of charge. Talking about the initiative, AIIMS director M Srinivas said,
“This will benefit countless poor people.” Rima Dada, professor in charge of the media cell, said, “The pharmacy has been a beacon of hope for poor patients who require medications but face economic constraints. This initiative aligns perfectly with the government’s mission to make quality healthcare accessible to all.”
Doctors have welcomed the move. “It will significantly reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for patients who are suffering from chronic diseases since these drugs are used for a longer period of time. More than the disease, the cost of drugs and the treatment makes patients hopeless. So this relief will go a long way in ensuring accessibility,” a senior doctor from the institute said.
