'Some docs in pvt hosps over prescribing costly cancer drugs'

kolkata: Some private hospitals in the city are allegedly over-prescribing some expensive medicines meant for cancer without any serious need and it has been creating a burden on the Swasthya Sathi scheme of the state government.

After these incidents cropped up, the state Health department has taken a prompt step and asked the private cancer hospital authorities to join a meeting which is scheduled to take place on Monday.

The Health department has received some specific information as to how some doctors from the private hospitals are unnecessarily over-prescribing expensive drugs without which the patients can be easily managed.

According to sources, the pharma companies are gaining profits out of selling these expensive medicines.

Some unscrupulous doctors from the private hospitals are allegedly involved in the nexus and they are over-prescribing the expensive drugs without any necessity.

The entire issue now is under the scanner of the Health department. If the situation continues it may affect the smooth functioning of the scheme.

Swasthya Sathi, a brain child of the Chief Minister has already become very popular among all cross sections of the people due to its universality. Now the premier institutions like CMC Vellore, AIIMS Delhi have come under the ambit of the Swasthya Sathi under which a family is entitled to avail free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh in each year from any private hospitals.

"We have received some inputs that some doctors in the private establishments are unnecessarily over-prescribing costly medicines which are not at all needed," said an official of the Health department, requesting anonymity

"More specific guidelines may be issued to the private cancer hospitals after taking inputs from them," he further added.

"Expensive immunotherapy medicines are misused. A meeting has been called," the senior official from the department added further.