West Bengal to get fair price diagnostic centres: Mamata

Kolkata: After introducing fair price medicine shops in government hospitals, the West Bengal government is now planning to start fair price diagnostic centres.

The response from the common people (for fair price medicine shops) is extremely positive. On the same line, we are planning to open fair price diagnostic centres at various locations, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said today. In a post on her Facebook page, she appealed to the doctors in government hospitals and also to the medical community to extend their support for the cause of common people, so that they can buy medicines at affordable rates from fair price medicine shops and save their precious money. Banerjee pointed out that these shops sell generic medicines, surgical/dressing material and cardiac devices at almost 48-67 percent less than the maximum retail price. In general, cost of medicines constitutes about 50-80 percent of the cost of treatment. Common people are most often unable to afford high cost of medicines and are thus worst affected. The Fair Price Medicine shops will come of great help in this regard, she said. Out of the planned 35 fair price medicine shops, 24 have already been opened at various locations at medical colleges, state hospitals, district hospitals and a few sub-divisional hospitals, she said. PTI