Nims pharmacy profits to go to poor patients

HYDERABAD: Profits made by pharmacies in the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims) will be used to meet the medical expenses of poor patients and also make contributions to the chief minister’s relief fund.
These benefits will also be extended to patients admitted to other government and private hospitals in the city. About 35 per cent of the profits are to be set aside for such patients.
This novel scheme is the result of an agreement between Nims and a non-governmental charitable society, Institute for Rural Health Studies (IRHS), that will run two pharmacies within Nims. According to Nims’ sources, the existing pharmacy at the Institute, the Nizam’s Pharmacy, is run by a private party at a monthly rent of Rs 40,000.
Since the hospital authorities have no say in matters relating to rates of medicines sold by them, the pharmacy was resorting to unethical practices and making exorbitant profits. It is estimated that it used to make profits to the tune of Rs 25 lakh per month. It is also alleged that they used to influence doctors and other staff of the hospital to increase their sales.
With the contract coming to an end in Sept., Nims and IRHS decided to do something to help poor patients.
Under the agreement, sixty per cent of the profits, left after meeting the working expenses and salaries, will be given to Nims to meet the medical expenses of poor patients and improve equipment, Nims director prof Karkala Subba Rao said. Another, five per cent of the profits will go to the CM’s relief fund.