Hasan Mushrif Mandates Free Medicine Supply in All Maharashtra State Run Hospitals
On Wednesday, July 8, Maharashtra Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif announced in the state Assembly in Mumbai that all state-run medical hospitals must provide patients with all necessary medicines directly. This decision to eliminate external medicine purchases follows recent departmental reviews at the Mantralaya landmark to streamline healthcare services in the state.
The new directive ensures that patients visiting government hospitals will receive free, uninterrupted access to essential medicines. Minister Mushrif gave this assurance in response to a question raised by MLA Vilas Bhumare during the Assembly session.
Under the new rules, hospital superintendents will face strict disciplinary action if any patient is compelled to purchase medicines from outside pharmacies. Mushrif emphasized that the government's primary objective is to provide quality and uninterrupted healthcare services to every citizen.
To guarantee that patients do not face inconvenience during treatment, the government will ensure adequate stocks of medicines are maintained in all facilities. The minister also noted that the state plans to partner with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the future to further elevate safety and healthcare delivery standards.
This directive aligns with broader efforts by the Medical Education Department to improve medicine access. In a recent review meeting held at Mantralaya under Mushrif's chairmanship, officials discussed plans to manufacture affordable, life-saving medicines for serious diseases like haemophilia and thalassaemia using surplus plasma.
The meeting was attended by Medical Education and Drugs Department Secretary Dheeraj Kumar and Commissioner Anil Bhandari. Officials informed the minister that Maharashtra has around 450 blood banks, of which 79 are government-run. Currently, the government sector holds about 25,000 litres of surplus plasma, while the private sector holds more than 3,00,000 litres. Mushrif has directed officials to draft a comprehensive proposal to utilize these reserves effectively.
