Mysore/Mysuru: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has assured to rectify administrative loopholes in the procedure of buying medicines (drug) that has become a hurdle in adequate distribution of medicines.

Speaking to media persons here yesterday, Rao said: “Following some mismatches in the records related to purchase, stock and expired drugs and also some variations in the tender process, medicines could not be supplied in adequate manner. Hence corrective steps would be taken and things are expected to be smooth in the next three to four months.”

Apart from sanctioning funds for constructing new buildings at the hospitals, sophisticated measures will be taken to keep the old buildings free from infections. With this, measures are being taken to conserve old buildings, as Rs. 500 crore is being spent on repair works of various hospital buildings in the State, said Rao.

The case related to female foeticide racket that surfaced recently is being heard at the Court. The Department will provide all the required information to the Court and the guilty will be punished, assured Rao.

After duty hours, the doctors can attend private practice but it is wrong to divert patients of Government Hospitals to private hospitals forcing them to avail treatment that comes with an exorbitant cost.

Under Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) Act, the Government has fixed tariff for every treatment at private hospitals. But majority of the hospitals haven’t put up tariff chart. However, measures will be taken to check hefty billing in the coming days.

A system will be introduced where in the message on treatment expenditure will be dispatched to patients cell phone number upon admission at the hospital, said Rao.

Steps are also being taken to prevent the spread of KFD (Monkey Fever) virus in the State. The particular virus is generally reported in the months of January to March and recedes gradually. However, there is no vaccine as such to treat this virus, with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) still conducting a research on inventing the vaccine. The vaccine is expected to be rolled out soon, with precautions being taken till then to keep the virus under control.

Acknowledging vacancy in Health Department, Rao said: “The Government is seized of the matter and 800 nurses will be recruited soon to address the shortage of staff.”