Rajasthan government is launching a new scheme to provide free home delivery of medicines for older citizen. The scheme will start with government pensioners and then include everyone over the age of 70 years. Under this scheme, the state government wants to make health care easier for older people, so they don’t have to go to medical stores or hospitals to get medicines.
What is Rajasthan Free Home Delivery Scheme for Medicines?
The free home delivery scheme of medicines will first help over 4 lakh pensioners who retired from government service and who have Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) card. These pensioners will get their medicines sent directly to their homes. After this, scheme will include all older people over 70 year of age in Rajasthan.
Rajasthan Government Health Scheme and State Health Assurance Agency are working to implement this scheme. A committee with experts from IT, Accounts, and other departments has been made to finish the doorstep delivery plan.
A private agency will be chosen through a tender process to handle buying and delivering medicines to pensioners’ homes under the scheme.
How You Can Get Medicines Through Scheme
After the scheme is launched, you can log in to RGHS portal or a special mobile app then choose choose “doorstep delivery” or pick up medicines from registered medical stores.
In order to get the medicines, prescriptions will have to be uploaded on the portal or app after a doctor’s visit. The chosen agency will get medicines from registered stores and deliver them to your address.
To make sure delivery goes well, agency will have your details like name, address, pin-code, and mobile number.
First Phase Implementation in Jaipur and Jodhpur
Scheme will first be tried out in big cities like Jaipur and Jodhpur, where most pensioners live. This will be a pilot based implementation in these two cities and after gathering feedback on multiple parameters, the scheme will be improved and then launched in the entire state.
After the first phase, scheme will include all older people over 70. This scheme is taking inspiration from Tamil Nadu’s successful door-to-door ration delivery scheme and may require help of ASHA workers with medicine delivery.
What is the Scheme Start Date
Government wants to start this scheme by the end of 2025 or early 2026, around government’s second anniversary. The goal of this scheme is to make lines at hospitals shorter and give older people simple access to important medicines at home.