Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday
stressed on setting up government drug stores in all districts
to ensure quality medicines at affordable prices to people.
"There should be provisions under the State Drug Policy
for establishing and running of such drug stores competently
for the larger benefits of general public, especially the
poor," he said while chairing a high-level meeting here to
take stock of various aspects of the Draft Drug Policy
formulated by the Health and Medical Education department.
Omar said that the policy should be urgently placed
before the cabinet for review and approval. He directed for
constitution of a committee under the Chief Secretary to
formulate a comprehensive scheme for establishment of drug
stores in the state for supplying low cost, high quality
generic medicines to the people.
Omar said that his government has flagged health sector
as one of the most important sectors in its policy. "Sooner
the policy is approved and put in place, the better it will be
for the public as well as the health and medical education
department," he said.
Omar highlighted the need for strengthening the drug
laboratories in J-K so that drug analysis and tests of
national and international standards are carried out there.
"Government is concerned about checking the sale and
supply of spurious and sub-standard medicines in the market
and in this connection a unified approach has to be evolved
involving all the stake holders in field," he said.
The draft drug policy among other things provide for
the process of procurement and supply of essential medicines
as defined by the World Health Organization taking care of the
health needs of the people.
It was stated that the Health department under the new
drug policy intends to open four drug stores in the state
where generic drugs would be provided to the people on
reasonable and affordable costs.
These stores have been proposed at SMHS Hospital in
Srinagar, Government Hospital at Gandhi Nagar in Jammu and one
each at Leh and Kargil district of Ladakh region in the
beginning.
Under the new drug policy, drug information centres in
the Government Medical College in Srinagar and Jammu have also
been envisaged besides annual publication of a state level
details in line with the World Health Organization and
national norms.
PTI
