“If doctors are found prescribing medicines on white slips and directing patients to purchase them from outside, or if medicines are dispensed by private medical stores without an authorised letterhead, the licences of such medical stores will be cancelled,” Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader
Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader has directed government hospitals across the state to immediately stop the practice of prescribing medicines on plain white slips and asking patients to purchase them from pharmacies outside hospital premises.
The minister said poor patients visiting government hospitals must be provided free and quality medicines within the hospitals and should not be forced to spend money on medicines available outside.
In a post on X on Saturday, Khader said instructions had been issued to government hospitals to end the practice, warning that strict action would be taken against doctors and pharmacies found violating the directive.
The government would not allow unauthorised sale of medicines through private medical stores using prescriptions written on plain white paper, he said.
“If doctors are found prescribing medicines on white slips and directing patients to purchase them from outside, or if medicines are dispensed by private medical stores without an authorised letterhead, the licences of such medical stores will be cancelled,” the minister warned.
He also cautioned that doctors involved in the practice and senior officials who failed to enforce the directive would face strict action.
Emphasising accountability in public healthcare delivery, Khader said negligence or irresponsibility in government hospitals would not be tolerated.
The minister said government benefits must reach economically weaker patients transparently and that prescribed rules governing the supply of medicines should be strictly followed.
The directive is aimed at ensuring that patients seeking treatment at government healthcare facilities receive medicines free of cost rather than being compelled to purchase them from private pharmacies.