Delhi AIIMS EHS doctors barred from prescribing cosmetic, daily use items

New Delhi: Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, posted in the Employee Health Scheme have been barred from prescribing cosmetic and day-to-day use items since they are being excessively issued from the Employee Health Scheme (EHS) outpatient department (OPD) and pharmacy. 

The medical superintendent Dr Sanjeev Lalwani issued an order pointing out the indiscriminate prescription of such items. It stated that the current prescription and issue pattern is disproportionately excessive as compared to the prevalence of such diseases, which actually necessitates the need for such items. 

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The order, as per a media report in the Indian Express, observed, "Current prescription & issue pattern is disproportionately excessive compared to incidence/prevalence of such specific diseases where these items are actually needed for treatment purpose. Sunscreen lotion/cream by various names, moisturizing lotion /cream by various names, Face wash lotion/ cream by various names, Anti-dandruff shampoo by various name, Hair Protein Serum by various names, Gum sensitive toothpaste by various names."

The order directed the doctors not to prescribe the six items mentioned at their level and have been asked to issue these items from the EHS pharmacy only when they are prescribed by a senior resident or faculty of concerned specialty departments and not by the junior resident doctors or CMOs. 

While stating that these cosmetic items are important for therapeutic purposes in patients suffering from specific diseases, it pointed out the disproportionately excessive manner of the current prescription and issue patterns in comparison to the prevalence of such diseases.

The Delhi Government Employees Health Scheme is a welfare scheme of the Delhi Government that provides comprehensive medical facilities to Delhi Government employees and pensioners and their dependents. All health facilities (hospitals/dispensaries) are run by the Government of NCT of Delhi and autonomous bodies under the Delhi Government, local bodies like MCD, NDMC, Delhi Cantonment Board, Central Government and other Government bodies such as AIIMS, Patel Chest Institute (University of Delhi), etc. are recognized under the scheme.