Dispensary facilities under MAF scheme-system improvements
We reproduce below a letter dated 31st December 17 from New Delhi OERS Optees and Pensioners Welfare Association to the Governor, RBI with a request to evolve a system wherein the old and sick, feeble and incapacitated retirees are issued medicines without visiting the dispensary.
“31st December, 2017
Dr. Urjit R. Patel
Governor
Reserve Bank of India
Central Office Building
Mumbai-400 001.
Respected sir,
Dispensary facilities-Retirees-MAF scheme
We hope, by now your good self must have been informed that at New Delhi office on 26th December, a widow (Family Pensioner) visited dispensary for issue of medicines under the MAF scheme. She had ben residing alone and had to travel a distance of more than 20 kms. to reach the dispensary. In the dispensary she felt sick and the BMC extended the possible available aid. It was, however, realised that she was seriously afflicted by the ailment. She was, therefore, carried to RML Hospital by the staff members on duty. At the Hospital the Doctors declared her brought dead.
However, the help by the RBI staff that was made available in the instant case is noteworthy.
Nevertheless, It is well known that despite many reforms, the Bank’s dispensaries have not been fully equipped with minimum life support apparatus and also not equipped with oxygen and other life-saving measures for the employees/retirees visiting the dispensary when needed.
Moreover, the incident gives rise to a more serious concern in the matter of implementation of the MAF Scheme that requires old, sick, feeble and incapacitated retirees to visit dispensary only for issuance of medicines prescribed to them by Hospitals and Specialists treating them. It is well known to the Bank that most of these medicines are meant for regular use in chronic ailments and are medically prescribed for survival after due investigation by the specialists.
As this is a very serious issue to be reviewed by the concerned authorities deputed for overseeing the implementation of the above scheme, we bring to your kind notice the present practice and procedure being followed at New Delhi office regarding issue of medicines.
After the BMC in the Dispensary goes through the medicines/treatment prescribed by the Hospital/Specialist and on being satisfied that the prescribed medicines are admissible, he writes these medicines on the retiree’s medical card. The BMC also records the purpose of visit by the employee in his register. Thereafter the medicines are issued by the concerned staff in the dispensary and a credit slip with names and quantities of medicines unavailable in the dispensary is prepared by the staff with name signatures and address of the retiree of dispensary and signed by the BMO at the appropriate place. Thereafter, the indent is sent to the chemists engaged by the office for home delivery of the medicines to the retiree concerned. This pathetic system that invariably requires the infirm/feeble patients to visit the dispensary only for getting the medicines.
This, needless to say, causes pain and agony to the retirees as this is the only option available to get medicines, at a time when the back-breaking digitisation techniques are being sought for and being used for many daily requirements.
In order to eliminate this cumbersome practice, we may be forgiven for indulging in requesting you to direct the Bank to evolve such a system where the need for the visit of the retirees to the dispensary only to get the prescribed medicines may be minimised or made optional.
As per information available to us, in Nabard an email with scanned prescription to the concerned Officers will facilitate delivery of such medicines at home of the patient on the same day. Those who are not computer savvy may fax/courier their prescriptions to the Bank’s Medical Consultant earmarked for attending to the home delivery of medicines. Bank may consider adopting above mentioned procedure or any other effective procedure for the purpose of ameliorating the distress/difficulty felt by old, feeble, weak and infirm retiree patients and their spouses’ incapable of personally visiting the dispensary only for issue of medicines.
Incidentally it may be added that RBI has in recent instructions issued to all PSBs has directed them to offer home services to the senior citizens. Accordingly, Bank may also consider deputing the BMCs/officers to visit such patients at their homes on request for allowing medicines or their admissible substitutes be delivered to them through the present system avoiding the visit of such patients to the Bank’s dispensaries.
We are confident that you must be considerate and personally take sympathetic view in the matter.
Wish you a very purposeful happy new year.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
(V K WADHAWAN)
PRESIDENT