THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With a strong message to middlemen not to torpedo the State Government’s earnest attempts to bring down the prices of essential drugs, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy inaugurated the state-level initiative of Karunya Community Pharmacy network at the Medical College here on Thursday. The Chief Minister and Health Minister Adoor Prakash did not mince words about the strong action that would follow if anyone was found to plot against the move to open 22 such pharmacy outlets in the 14 districts of the state. Terming the mass-contact programme as an eye-opener, Oommen Chandy said that the largest number of problems raised were all health-related issues. “We have all the modern treatment facilities in the state, but unfortunately it is accessible only to a limited few who are financially well-off. This has to change,” said Chandy.Chandy said that there were patients dependent on oxygen cylinders, but had no money to pay for the electricity that was needed for its functioning. “We would consider giving electricity free of cost to such patients. Just as the Union Government brought about the Right to Employment, Right to Education and the Right to food, we should also have a Right to Health. Only then will the circle be complete,” he said.As a next step to the launch of the Karunya Community Pharmacy, the Chief Minister said that from April 1, medicines will be given free of cost for lifestyle diseases, especially diabetes and hypertension, spreading its tentacles across the state. “I also remember the helplessness and pain I saw on the faces of parents with haemophilic children at the mass contact programme. Hopefully we will work out a scheme by which the treatment for haemophilia will also be made free of cost,” said Oommen Chandy.Health Minister Adoor Prakash said that he had to overcome a number of threats from several quarters to make this Karunya Community Pharmacy a reality. “All the threats made me even more determined to go ahead. There are severalpeople who are still at it and let me warn you that such elements will be dealt with quite strongly by the State Government,” he said.“We do not want to make enemies and would like everyone to co-operate with the new initiative. This is for the people. Please don’t drag us into unpleasant measures,” he added.Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) managing director Biju Prabhakar, who spoke on the occasion said that the medicines sourced directly from manufacturers, will result in a bulk discount, the benefits of which would percolate down to the common man.Echoing the same, Shashi Tharoor MP said that the Karunya pharmacy was a humane project and a need of the hour. DME V Geetha, Medical College principal Ramdas Pisharody, SAT superintendent K E Elizabeth, RCC director Paul Sebastian, NRHM district programme officer B Unikrishnan and Councillor G S Sreekumar also were present on the occasion.
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