KOCHI: Even as the government is doing everything to take care of alcoholics like getting prescriptions for them, the elderly people are feeling left out. These citizens, whose average age comes to around 75 years and suffer from illnesses like heart ailments, are finding it difficult to get medicines they need daily.
“I am an 80-year-old fitted with a pacemaker,” said D B Panicker, a retired engineer.
“I have to take medicines regularly. But how much medicine can one stock?” he asked.
Once the stock runs out, especially during times like the lockdown, we are left to fend for ourselves, he said. He said the government is only worried about alcoholics.
“Before the lockdown, I bought medicines for two weeks. But since I need to have three tablets daily and the lockdown got extended, my stock dried up soon,” he said. Panicker contacted various pharmacies but to no avail.
“As a final attempt, I contacted Indian Medical Association (IMA), Kochi,” he said.
Panicker got a favourable reply and IMA officials provided him with the necessary medicines.
“But what about those who have no idea whom to contact? Just take the case of my neighbour, who is 75 and just had an angioplasty. The medicines he needs are not costly but are needed daily. When he ran out of stock he contacted the medical store which had telemedicine facility, he was told delivery can’t be made since his purchase was below `500!” said Panicker.
Zameen Nazar had a similar story to tell. “My cousin is a 73-year-old heart patient who underwent angioplasty. We had to go around various shops to get his medicine since many chemists had run out of stock,” she said. The IMA said they get at least 10 to 15 calls daily.
“We have been catering to the needs of the elderly when they call seeking assistance in procuring medicines,” said Dr Junaid Rehman, IMA. He said the medicines are bought by Asha workers and delivered to patients.
“Those who can pay are given the bills while those who can’t are given the medicines for free,” he said.
“We are providing medicines to those in quarantine. But, when others call us seeking help getting medicines we help them out. This will be only during the lockdown period. Once the lockdown is over, medicines will be provided only to those in quarantine,” he said.
He said the calls they receive the most are from those hailing from financially backward families. “Those in need of medicines can contact us through the health centres,” he added.