Bhubaneswar: As many as 101 medicine stores will be evicted from the premises of the Government hospitals and medical colleges across Odisha within 15 days.
Shalini Pandit, the Commissioner-Cum-Secretary of Health & Family Department, following an order of the Orissa High Court, has written letters to the Superintendents of MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur and Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla and Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs) of 24 district for the eviction of the medicine stores which are situated on the premises of the government hospitals or medical colleges.
Pandit also has directed the concerned officials to collect the license money due from the owners of the private medicine stores before the eviction.
It is to be noted here that the State government had issued an order in 2015 not to open any new medicine stores on the premises of the government hospitals and medical colleges nor renew the licenses of the existing medicine stores.
However, since then the owners of the medicine stores have ben vehemently protesting the decision of the State government and even had moved the High Court and field as many as 111 affidavits over the issues. While conducting a hearing of the case on April 19, the Court had given its verdict in favour of the State government.
As the state government is providing medicines free of cost at the hospitals under the NIRAMAYA Scheme, there is no need for the existence of private medicine stores on the premises of the government hospitals or medical colleges, the court had ruled.
Meanwhile, the employees and owners of the private medicine stores claimed that such action of the State government will cause problem not only to them alone but also to the patients.
Ms Kalinga