Lucknow: Enhancing healthcare accessibility and convenience for veterans, the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) polyclinics in Lucknow and Raebareli on Friday launched a doorstep medicine delivery service for beneficiaries in collaboration with India Post and Common Service Center Village Level Entrepreneurs (CSC VLEs).The initiative aims to ensure routine medicines reach the homes of veterans, war widows and dependents living in rural and remote areas, reducing the need for frequent visits to ECHS polyclinics for monthly medicine collection.ECHS Polyclinic Lucknow caters to nearly 97,000 veterans, of whom around 25% are above the age of 70.“The doorstep medicine delivery is currently meant for veterans, war widows and dependents aged 70 years and above. On average, the ECHS handles around 28,000 OPD visits every month, including nearly 5,400 septuagenarian patients. Around 30-40 patients return home daily after consultation without one or two prescribed medicines because of temporary unavailability. Nearly half of them are elderly patients. This facility will greatly benefit them as the medicines will now be delivered to their homes,” an official source said.Under the system, pharmacists will record the beneficiary’s address, phone number and details of unavailable medicines. The medicines will then be dispatched within 3-4 days through India Post in coordination with CSC VLEs. The service will be free of cost.Officials said the doorstep delivery service will be expanded in phases based on feedback and the success of the pilot project.In another move to strengthen healthcare services, ECHS Polyclinic Lucknow has also introduced an online laboratory management system.The digital platform will allow beneficiaries and medical officers to securely access laboratory reports online, ensuring faster processing, improved transparency and better monitoring of diagnostic services.
