Stocks diminishing at ESI Hospital dispensary

KOCHI: Apprehension is written all over the faces of patients waiting at the ESI Hospital, near North Railway, to buy medicines from the hospital dispensary. As the hospital does not have the required medicines, patients are running from pillar to post to procure them. Moreover, the complicated procedures in getting the reimbursement are giving them headaches. “We are not getting medicines which we badly need. There are no medicines for blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol,” said Manilal. The patients also said that obtaining the medicine was a winding process. “The doctors prescribe some medicines and when we reach the dispensary they are not available. So we have to consult the doctor once again for a change of medicine but by the time we return, the doctors would have left the hospital,” said Manilal.  Dhaneesh whose wife was admitted to the hospital for a Caesarian section said, “For new mothers they have got only calcium tablets. The other medicines have to be bought from local medical shops.”   Asokan who came to consult the doctor said, “My son and I have sinusitis and we have to use a spray worth `160. We do not get it here. Two months ago, my two children were bitten by cats and when I brought them here, they referred them to the Lourde Hospital. There, I was told to pay Rs24,000 for two injections. To pay the bill, I had to get the required documents from the ESI Hospital authorities. So I contacted the ESI office  and was asked to contact the ESI hospital, near north railway station, from where I had to contact the Lourde hospital again,” he said.The procedures in getting the reimbursement is yet another problem. “As per the rule, they have to pass our bill within six months. But usually it takes more than a year,” said George K V who is working with the Cochin shipyard. Dakshayani, another patient, got her bill for 2009 reimbursed only in 2011.     Dr Reena Mary Varghese, RMO of the hospital, said “There are no such issues. We are forwarding the list of the required medicines to the govt. Occasionally, we ask the patients to buy medicines which are not available here from the medical shops. We also reimburse the bills,” she said.