Punjab Government’s Scheme to Give Free Medicines Faces Setback in Villages

Punjab government drive to deliver medicines for free for village residents stuck at delivery. The Courier Company refuses to deliver the drugs outside major cities. Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique kick starts this initiative under which essential medicines like heart disease, TB, and Hepatitis will be delivered to the homes of patients.

Details of the Scheme and Setback

The government of Punjab had worked with Courier Company for the proper delivery of medicines as per sources. Initially, Courier company has denied limiting free medicine distribution to urban centers however they were supposed to extend this service to rural areas in phase 2.Health minister Khawaja Salman Rafique is not happy with this development. He emphasized that in the first phase, medicines will reach the city dwellers on time but people living in villages may face delays in getting life-saving drugs.

Perspectives and Next Steps

As per the reports, “the government of Punjab had decided to provide free medicines at the doorsteps,” in which they mentioned the target beneficiaries and objectives of the scheme. Due to the logistic problem created by a noncooperative courier company, patients from rural areas might have to suffer temporarily from government-provided services.”

This setback highlights the need for smooth coordination between public and private partners while working on healthcare initiatives to make healthcare accessible and affordable for all.