Govt hospitals should not prescribe outside medicines: Upa Lokayukta

Mangaluru: Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa said here on Monday that doctors in govt hospitals should not prescribe medicines to be bought from outside at any cost. He was speaking after inaugurating a Lokayukta public grievance meeting held at the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat premises on Monday."Govt hospitals should provide treatment free of cost. During my surprise visits, I found that doctors were prescribing medicines to be purchased from outside. If a particular medicine is not available in a govt hospital, there is an option to procure them using the govt sanction up to Rs 25,000 per day. We have good infrastructure in govt hospitals, where only the poor visit. Hence, doctors in hospitals should show humanity by not prescribing medicines from outside," he said.All govt hospitals have been directed that the contact numbers of the Lokayukta district and state authorities should be displayed prominently. "Even in front of the govt offices, contact numbers of the Lokayukta should be displayed. We can register suo motu cases when people contact us to complain," he said.He said that private institutions were charging Rs one to two lakh even for daycare facilities. "Somewhere our system leads officials to become corrupt. Even cancer can be cured, but it is difficult to eradicate corruption. Women from each house should raise their voices against corruption. One may become rich through corruption but cannot remain happy," he said."After 78 years of Independence, we need to introspect where we are. There is an apprehension that there may be a situation where we may have to launch another struggle for Independence specifically for our rights. The failure on the part of the four pillars of democracy will lead to corruption. Elimination of corruption is possible if the four pillars of democracy perform their duties honestly. Meanwhile, the public must perform their duties entrusted under the Constitution while fighting for their rights," he said, adding that there is a need for the protection of the environment for the survival of mankind.