Jaipur
Rajasthan's ambitious Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) has once again run into serious trouble. Hospitals and pharmacy operators in the capital, Jaipur, have decided to temporarily suspend cashless drug distribution in outpatient departments from March 25th.
This decision is likely to directly impact around 50 lakh beneficiaries , especially pensioners and patients suffering from serious diseases.
Payments stuck for 8-9 months, increasing crisis
Hospitals and pharmacy organizations say that payments worth crores of rupees are pending for the last 8 to 9 months .
According to the Rajasthan Alliance of Hospital Associations (RAHA) , despite repeated demands, the government did not make the payments, leading to ever-increasing financial pressure.
Drug supply also affected
Due to delay in payment, medicine suppliers have started stopping supply of medicines on credit.
In such a situation, it has become difficult for hospitals and pharmacies to continue the cashless facility, due to which this big step had to be taken.
Lack of coordination between the government and the administration
According to sources, lack of coordination between the medical department and the finance department is also a major reason for this crisis.
Hospital operators allege that they are not getting clear answers and the scheme is not being given priority.
had already been warned
Hospital and pharmacy organisations had already warned that if payments were not made, cashless medicine services would have to be stopped from March 25.
Now this warning has turned into reality.
Who will be most affected
The biggest impact of this decision:
Patients dependent on regular medications
elderly pensioners
People suffering from serious illnesses
All of them may now have to spend from their own pockets for medicines, which will also affect their financial condition.
forced action
RAHA has clarified that this decision has not been taken as a protest but out of compulsion.
Due to continuous non-payment, there was a huge financial burden on the hospital and pharmacy units.
What do you demand from the government?
The organization has demanded from the state government that:
Pending payments should be released immediately
A time-bound payment system should be implemented
So that the scheme can be run smoothly again and patients do not face any problems.
The disruption of a major health scheme like the RGHS is a cause for concern for millions of people in the state. If a solution isn't found soon, this crisis could worsen and directly impact public health services.
