Shimla: Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has criticized the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government over the disruption of essential medicines and the failure of the Himcare scheme, which he claims has led to widespread suffering in Himachal Pradesh. Thakur’s comments come in the wake of the tragic death of cancer patient Devraj, who was undergoing treatment at IGMC Shimla, allegedly due to the unavailability of critical injections.
Thakur condemned the government’s inefficiency in managing healthcare services, pointing to the viral video of Devraj’s daughter, who blamed the system for her father’s untimely death. “The video is heart-wrenching, and it reveals the dire state of healthcare in our state. Due to the government’s failure, essential medicines and Himcare benefits have been disrupted, causing a daughter to lose her father,” Thakur stated.
Thakur emphasized that the Himcare scheme, which was introduced during his tenure as Chief Minister, was designed to ensure that no one in the state had to sell their land or take loans for medical treatment. “Himcare was meant to protect the citizens from financial burdens related to healthcare. Under our government, lakhs of people benefited from Himcare, and many lives were saved. But now, under the Sukhu government, this system has collapsed,” Thakur said.
He also highlighted the government’s failure to provide adequate treatment and medicines in government hospitals, forcing many patients to seek private care or purchase expensive medicines from the market despite being eligible for free treatment.
Thakur criticized the Sukhu administration for neglecting the payment of drug suppliers, which led to a halt in the supply of essential medicines. “Drug suppliers have been waiting for payments for nine months. They had no choice but to stop supplying medicines after December 31 due to the government’s inaction,” he added.
The Leader of Opposition also slammed the government for not fulfilling promises made in the state budget, including the establishment of ideal healthcare institutions with facilities like MRI, CT scan, and cancer care centers in every assembly constituency. He pointed out that despite the infrastructure being built during his tenure, the installation of essential medical equipment, such as the PET scan machine at IGMC, has not been completed.
“Patients are now being given dates for ultrasounds three months later. This delay is a direct result of the government’s failure to prioritize healthcare,” Thakur said.
Thakur concluded by demanding that the Sukhu government take responsibility for its actions and ensure that such health crises are avoided in the future. “The government must take immediate action to restore Himcare benefits and ensure that essential medicines are available to every patient in need. The people of Himachal deserve better than the false promises and neglect they have been receiving,” he said.