The Health Department has issued a circular directing the Director of Health Services and the Director of Medical Education to ensure uninterrupted treatment for patients in government hospitals.

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said that instructions have been given to ensure the availability of medicines and chemical reagents for laboratories and to monitor stocks accurately.

The circular directs that an updated list of the medicine stocks in hospitals be provided to doctors in the OP (outpatient) departments. This will help doctors have a clear idea about the medicines available in the hospital and to prescribe the same to patients.

The Minister also said that the generic names of medicines must be written on prescriptions issued by doctors.

A report on reagent stock and future requirements must be submitted once every two weeks, so that any shortage can be anticipated and supplies organised on time.

The circular also says that where materials needed for lab tests are unavailable, they can be purchased using Hospital Development Committee funds.