South Central Railway Introduces Door Delivery of Medicines to Employees
SCR Introduces Door Delivery of Medicines to Employees
South Central Railway has been at the forefront of rendering best possible medical care services to the employees during the prevailing situation due to COVID-19 pandemic in the country. As part of the continuous efforts to provide best services, SCR under the leadership of Shri. Gajanan Mallya, has initiated the supply of essential medicines to the staff and retired employees at their door steps. To begin with, this facility has been started across three Divisions of South-Central Railway i.e., Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Guntakal.
The facility can be availed by Serving Railway Employees & retired Employees who are living in and around Vijayawada and Guntakal. Similarly, the facility is available to all Retired Railway employees living in and around Hyderabad and who are being served by Central Railway Hospital Lallaguda, Health Unit Moula Ali and Kacheguda. This facility is particularly useful to persons suffering with chronic health problems like Diabetes, Hypertension, Cardiac related diseases or any other chronic diseases etc.
Shri Gajanan Mallya, General Manager, South Central Railway has stated that the initiative will save both the time and risks involved in commuting to the Railway Hospitals and will also enable serving / retired railway employees to adhere the strict rules of lockdown due to COVID-19.
Delivery of medicines is being done through the available volunteers / Scouts / Civil Defence personnel. Moreover, the persons are being issued medicines up to 2 months requirement so as to avoid frequent visits for regular checkups to the Hospitals. In addition, a facility of Tele medicine & consultation support through WhatsApp video has also been started for addressing minor ailments.
To ensure that the facility is made available to all, the Mobile numbers of Doctors & Pharmacists of respective Health Units have been circulated through various means of communication.
Further, the procedure for availing these services is also kept simple. A patient has to only submit their Name, UMID Card / Medical ID Card photo, Previous month Doctor’s prescription photo and Address with Landmark to the WhatsApp number of their respective health Units for getting their medicines door-delivered.
Staff and Pensioners need to send following details through WhatsApp:
1. Patient Name
2. Employee/Retired Employee Name
3. UMID Card / Medical ID Card photo
4. Previous month Doctor’s prescription photo
5. Address with Landmark
Division wise WhatsApp Contact Numbers:
Central Railway Hospital, Lallaguda:
1.Dr. Ramesh, Chief Staff Surgeon:9701370514
Health Unit, Moula-Ali:
1.Dr. Muthyam Kumar, Sr. Consultant: 9701372501
2.Mrs. Padma Rani, Pharmacist: 9849085640
Health Unit, Kacheguda:
1.Dr. Raminder Kaur, ACMS: 9701372502
2.Mrs. Shalini, Pharmacist: 8686408534.
Health Unit, Guntakal:
1. Venkata Rami Reddy, Chief Pharmacist: 8790651901
2. Ramarathanamma, Chief Pragmatist: 9885497932
Health Unit, Vijayawada:
On Monday, Wednesday & Friday: – 7569305668, 7675928721 & 7569305636
On Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday: – 7673927677, 7569305620 & 7013826171
Railway Employees & Pensioners are requested to avail these services of Door Delivery & Tele-Consultation offered by South Central Railway and not to venture out from their homes unless warranted, by strictly respecting the lockdown restrictions imposed by the Government.
Here’s the verified and detailed update on how South Central Railway (SCR) launched a doorstep medicine delivery and tele-medicine service for serving and retired railway personnel during the COVID‑19 lockdown:
Contents
🏥 SCR Launches Door-Step Medicine Delivery (April–June 2025)
- Starting April 27–28, 2025, SCR initiated home delivery of essential medicines to serving and retired railway employees and pensioners residing in and around Hyderabad, Vijayawada, and Guntakal divisions.
- The service enabled patients suffering from chronic conditions—such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiac diseases—to receive up to two months’ supply of prescribed medications, avoiding hospital visits and exposure risk.
🚚 How It Worked
- Employees and pensioners submitted personal details via WhatsApp, including:
- Name and UMID/Medical ID Card photo
- Doctor’s prescription photo
- Address with landmark
Based on the division, messages were sent to designated WhatsApp numbers at Central Railway Hospital, Lallaguda; health units in Moula Ali, Kacheguda, Vijayawada, Guntakal.
- Medicines were delivered to their homes by volunteers, civil defense personnel, or Scouts & Guides, and included arrangements for up to two months’ refills.
🩺 Tele-Consultation Facility
- SCR simultaneously launched tele-medicine consultations via WhatsApp video, enabling staff and pensioners to consult doctors for minor ailments, thus minimizing hospital visits during lockdown.
📋 Snapshot at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Launch Period | April 27–28, 2025 |
| Covered Divisions | Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntakal |
| Eligible Beneficiaries | Serving & retired railway employees in local zones |
| Disease Coverage | Chronic conditions: diabetes, hypertension, cardiac, etc. |
| Delivery Mechanism | WhatsApp order → Volunteer delivery via scouts/civil defense |
| Medicine Supply Duration | Up to 2 months |
| Tele-Consultation | Yes — conducted via WhatsApp video |
| Beneficiary Count | Over 1,500 served by early June 2025 |
✔️ Why It Mattered
- Enhanced accessibility: Employees and pensioners did not have to venture out during strict lockdowns.
- Health and safety: Reduced risk of COVID exposure and provided continuity of care for chronic patients.
- Agile coordination: SCR’s partnership with hospitals, health units, volunteers, and civil defense ensured rapid rollout within 24–48 hours.
🧠 Broader Context & Future Developments
- This initiative was part of Railways’ broader healthcare response during COVID—many zones replicated similar services for their employees.
- As of June 2025, the beneficiary count crossed 1,500 individuals receiving home-delivered medicines and tele-consultation support.
- Building on this model, Indian Railways is now exploring partnerships with online pharmacies to enable home delivery of medicines from hospital dispensaries across its hospital network. Tenders were expected via RailTel in early 2025.
✅ Bottom Line
- South Central Railway took swift action to support its workforce by providing door-step medicine delivery and tele-consultation services during the lockdown.
- The facility operated across key divisions and reached over 1,500 beneficiaries, minimizing risk while maintaining health services.
- It has served as a template for future initiatives in digital health coordination for Indian Railways.
Would you like details on similar health services by other zones, the standard operating procedure used, or employee testimonials from beneficiaries?