Question : FREE MEDICINES TO POOR

(a) whether the Government is running schemes for providing free medicines to the poor in the country;

(b) if so, the details of each scheme thereof;

(c) the amount allocated to the State Governments and utilised by them for the said schemes during each of the last three years and the current year so far;

(d) whether any cases of irregularities in the distribution process of these medicines have come to the notice of the Government during the last three years; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government for proper implementation of the said schemes especially in rural areas and also to increase the allocation of funds for the purpose?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY)

(a) to (e) No. Central Government is not running a scheme for providing free medicines to poor. Public Health being a State subject, the primary responsibility of providing healthcare rests with the State Governments. However, the State Governments are being provided with financial support under National Rural Health mission (NRHM) for overall health system strengthening including support for provision of free drugs in public health facilities on the basis of the demands projected by the State Governments in their annual Programme Implementation Plan (PIPs).