COIMBATORE: The practice of providing medicines in separate paper covers with details of ‘timing of medicine administration’ as per the doctor’s prescription has stopped at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) allegedly because the pharmacy has run out of paper covers. The medicines are now handed over with oral instructions, leaving patients confused.
The hospital treats around 1, 000 outpatients each day, six days a week. Outpatient wards work from 7 am to 12 noon. People from not only Coimbatore but also neighbouring districts come to CMCH for treatment. Sources in the hospital said they require several lakhs of covers for the pills in a month and are dependent on donors to a large extent. Since patients do not understand the schedule of the administration, they are bringing covers for each medicine to avoid confusion.
In the last few months, outpatients are given instructions about the administration of medicine orally as covers are not available. “I get medicines once a month for a heart problem. They give me seven types of pills for 30 days. Earlier they gave medicines in proper covers mentioning the administration time which was very useful. But now they don’t give like that and they just give pills with oral instructions. It’s hard to remember the schedule when there are so many pills,” said K Savithri from Ondipudur. During her last visit on Friday, she brought a bunch of brown covers and requested the pharmacist to write down the medicine administration schedule.
Another patient, N Arumugam, said the hospital does not give prescription and medicines are being offered only after collecting the prescription sheets. Hence it is difficult to understand which medicine to take and when. Earlier, a textile firm sponsored the covers with their advertisements. However, it has been stopped for the last two months,”
When asked, CMCH dean A Nirmala said she was not aware of cover shortage. Also she said medicines should be given in separate covers mentioning the administration schedule. “We did not know about the non-availability of the covers. It will be rectified immediately. We welcome the sponsors for the medicine covers. Otherwise, we will arrange it on our own,” she assured.