JAIPUR: To promote the free medicine scheme in the state, the health department has approved recruitment of more than 3,700 employees on a contractual basis for the financial year 2019-20. As the Ashok Gehlot-led government came into power in the state, the health department has been taking measures to strengthen the free medicine scheme.

According to a health department official, approval has been given for the recruitment of 3,764 posts of machine with men, who will be posted on a contractual basis at Drug Distribution Counters (DDCs).

The deployment of computer manpower is going to assist in inventory management of drugs while linking DDCs to e-Aushadhi applications.

A health department official said that all the prescriptions of the patients are noted in computers who come to DDC for free medicines. It is also recorded as to how many prescribed drugs were available and how many of them were not available for free distribution. The new recruitment is expected to help the officials to keep a track on the availability of medicines under the scheme to ensure maximum benefits to the patients.

Chief Minister Gehlot had recently announced that the free medicine scheme, launched in 2011, will be strengthened in the state where 600 more DDCs will be opened and the facility of new medicines to treat cancer, heart, lung and liver related ailments will be available under it.