Government covers external medicine expenses for civil servants attending public hospitals
280
Htet Nadi/ Pearl (NP News) - March 10
Dr. Than Naing Soe, Head of the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Health, told The Statesman that if civil servants have to purchase external medicines while receiving treatment at public hospitals, these expenses will be reimbursed under the title of an account.
Since last February, 67 hospitals under the Yangon Region Medical Department have designated special beds for government staff (Government Staff Priority Corner) and provide free treatment and government-sponsored medicines. If medicines are purchased from outside, they are reimbursed under the account title 0316.
Similarly, public hospitals that do not have designated priority beds provide free treatment to civil servants, and if they have to purchase medicines from outside, they will be reimbursed under the account title.
“The medicines we have, mainly essential medicines, are purchased with state funds. Those are also free for civil servants. Sometimes, if we have to buy more, we have a budget for them. We pay them back with those. In Yangon Region, when we created a separate corner, it became more obvious. If there is no corner, the main intentionis a specific service. The health service we provide is at a lower cost. We pay special attention to civil servants. They have to buy it out of their pocket first. Then, they can claim it back. We will manage it according to the financial procedures,” Dr. Than Naing Soe told The Statesman.
It is reported that if a civil servant purchases medicines from outside and submits a request with a pharmacy voucher, the state/region health department will scrutinize and decide if the cost is less than 500,000 kyat. If the cost is more than 500,000 kyat, the head office will scrutinize and approve in accordance with financial procedures.
“If the doctor prescribes this medicine, he must have a voucher from the pharmacy. The board, including medical doctors, and administrative and financial experts at the hospital, must approve that voucher. The voucher, the prescribed medicines, and their value will be reviewed to determine whether they are appropriate. Usually, if it is less than 5 lakhs, the state/district health department heads approve it with the board EC. If it is more than 5 lakhs, it is submitted to the head office. It will be scrutinized according to the financial procedures. Some patients do not submit. We consider those that are submitted. About 99 percent of them are accepted. Some of them have incorrect vouchers or include items under free medical supplies such as syringes. Such vouchers will be placed under pending review,” said Dr. Than Naing Soe. –