Bhubaneswar, April 22: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday directed officials to issue Medicine Pass Books to Niramaya beneficiaries in State.
Chairing a review meeting here Patnaik at the completion of one year of the scheme, he said the process will begin from Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre.
Patnaik also directed Health department officials to prepare a roadmap within one month to offer common minimum diagnostics at different medical colleges, district headquarters hospitals and other health institutions.
The Common minimum diagnostics will include radiological and pathological diagnostics.
As many as 59.25 lakh patients have benefited under the Niramaya scheme since its roll out from May 1 last year. An official release said the scheme has been extended to almost all Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the state.
The Chief Minister also directed officials for making proper arrangements for timely delivery of medicines to all health centres.
Thursday’s meeting discussed computerization of medicine procurement and distribution, indentation of medicines, collection of suggestions from beneficiaries among other things.
The release said that procurement of medicines for 2016-17 will begin by August 1. At present as many as 421 varieties of medicines are distributed under the Niramaya scheme.
