No funds for Vayomithram scheme; medicines cut short; supply of insulin reduced

MALAPPURAM: The supply of medicines including insulin for diabetes in the Vayomithram scheme, which is aimed at the welfare of senior citizens and implemented by the Social Security mission, has been cut short. Due to arrears of 20 crores to the Kerala Medical Service Corporation, the supply of 130 medicines was reduced to 85. People who used to get up to six insulin vials a month are now getting only one or two.

KMCL should be paid Rs 7 crore from last year and Rs 13 crore from this year. The demand for immediate allocation of five and a half crores is under the consideration of the Finance Department. If funds are delayed, the number of medicines will also decrease. There are about three lakh beneficiaries who are over 65 years of age in the scheme. Poor patients are in a state of having to pay for medicines. Salary of employees has been delayed for three months. A Vayomitram Unit consists of a Doctor, Nurse, JPHN and Co-ordinator. There are a total of 416 employees in 104 units. As the vehicle rental has stopped, the camps to be conducted at wards have stopped in many places.

Need more funds

The Vayomitram project, which was started in 2010-11 in 45 municipal and corporation limits of the state, is currently being implemented in 104 local bodies including various block panchayats. 27.5 crore has been allocated in the budget for the project this year. Eight crores of this have been sanctioned. 35 lakh is needed for one unit per year. The total cost will be around 37 crores. If the government's decision to cut the plan fund by 50 percent is implemented in Vayomitram, the plan will stall.