A spokesman for the Punjab Health Department on Monday said that the Punjab government was annually increasing health budget to supply free medicines in government hospitals.
He said that during the fiscal year 2012-13 over Rs 5.78 billion had been allocated for free medicines to the patients in indoor and emergency wards in government hospitals.
The spokesman denied the rumours about cut in funds allocated for provision of free medicines or spending these funds on any other projects.
He said that the government had allocated Rs 4.159 billion in the budget of 2009-10, Rs 4.221 billion in 2010-11, Rs 4.607 billion in 2011-12 whereas Rs 5.785 billion were allocated in 2012-13 for this purpose.
Moreover, Rs 50 crore were provided to the DHQs and THQs hospitals for provision of medical facilities for free normal deliveries in labour rooms, free operations (Caesarean sections) and free medicines in children wards, he added.