Alerts in Advance: Bihar Health Department’s Preemptive Strike Against Medicine Wastage

PATNA – In a bid to curb the wastage of medicines in government hospitals, the Health Department of Bihar has introduced a proactive approach. Under this initiative, six months before the expiry date of medicines, alert messages will be sent to the in-charge of the medicine store center, the hospital head, and the civil surgeon through WhatsApp and SMS.

The decision was made following a review meeting at the level of the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department, where it was identified that inadequate care and maintenance in government hospitals lead to significant medicine wastage.

To address this issue, a system has been implemented to send continuous alert messages as the expiry date approaches. The alerts will be sent six months, three months, one month, and every week leading up to the expiry date. This strategic approach aims to facilitate the timely distribution of medicines to districts with high demand, preventing both wastage and financial losses for the government.