Memo issued to docs at EDMC hospital for prescribing medicines available outside

Municipal authorities today issued a memo to doctors of an EDMC-run hospital in east Delhi for allegedly prescribing to patients to buy medicines from outside even though they were available in the premises of the facility, the civic body said.

The action was taken after a surprise inspection of Swami Dayanand Hospital at Dilshad Garden by East Delhi Mayor Swami Dayanand Hospital at Dilshad Garden today.

"A memo has been issued to those doctors of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation, who were found prescribing medicines from outside to patients during the mayor's surprise inspection," the EDMC said in a statement.

The memo has been issued by Additional Commissioner (Health) Brajesh Singh, seeking action taken report from hospital authorities and explanation from the doctors involved in the matter in a week, it said.

As per the directions issued from time to time and the circular dated May 12, 2018, no external medicines have to be prescribed to patients.

It was found that medicines were available in hospital but still they were prescribed from outside. It is a serious matter and explanation has been sought from doctors concerned, Singh was quoted as saying in the statement.

A memo has also been issued to security in-charge and ECG technician for "dereliction of duty," it added.

Singh said after receiving the report, strict action will be taken against those found guilty.

During his inspection the mayor also found "negligence on part of the guards" of the hospital, as stray dogs were roaming in its compound.

The mayor also expressed dissatisfaction about the state of cleanliness in the hospital.

Mayor Singh directed the medical superintendent of the hospital to paste a list of medicines available at the hospital in the doctors' room. He further directed that doctors must not advise the patients to buy medicines from outside of the hospital.