Aims and objectives of Various State Drug Policies

[Guest guest]

Dear Members:

In order to understand the need for promulgation of state drug policies in every state of our country, we need to understand the aim and objectives with which various states of the Union of India have brought in their state drug policies. After all what was the need for them to have their own separate policies in presence of the National Pharmaceutical Policy. Given below is the need, aim and objectives of some of the state drug policies, others shall follow soon in subsequent posts. Comments are solicited from all esteemed members.

With regards

Dr. Geer M. Ishaq

Chhattisgarh Drugs and Medical Supplies Policy:

Drugs and medical supplies play an important role in the delivery of health care. Sufficient attention is often not given to this important aspect of health care. The State Government has therefore decided to formulate a policy in this regard. Implementation of this policy will improve the availability of drugs and medical supplies. It will lead to use a rational use and management of drugs and medical supplies according to the needs of the State. This policy will make procurement, distribution and utilization of drugs and medical supplies more efficient, transparent and accountable, which will benefit the people of the State directly. A well-functioning health system reduces the burden of poverty and improves the standard of living of the people to a large extent. The portion of family income which is spent on medical treatment can be invented for development of the family. Availability of essential drugs and medical supplies is necessary to ensure proper utilization of the services provided by Primary Health Centers. Since majority of services provided by Primary Health Centers are used by women and children special attention must be given to medical supplies related to them.

Overall goal of the Chhattisgarh Drugs and Medical Supplies Policy is to improve the health of the people of Chhattisgarh through the use of safe, effective, good quality and affordable essential drugs and medical supplies. It also aims to reduce irrational and unscientific drug use that is a drain on the incomes of an impoverished population and that is often hazardous as well.

In order to achieve the objectives of this policy special attention will need to be given to the following:

1. Safe, effective and good quality essential drugs and medical supplies are available at reasonable prices at all times to the people of the State.

2. The underprivileged are served on principles of equity and social justice.

3. Rational use of drugs is promoted in public as well as private sector through better regulation, improved training, dissemination of drug information, rational prescribing, and dispensing practices and improved patient's compliance.

4. An effective organizational structure is established in the public sector based on transparency and accountability for procurement, storage, distribution and use of drugs and medical supplies.

5. Qualified and trained personnel are available at all levels for procurement, storage, distribution, use and regulation of drugs and medical supplies.

DELHI DRUG PROCUREMENT POLICY:

The Delhi government's drug procurement policy has been adopted by several Asian countries and Indian states like Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and the states of Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai, Pune, Rajasthan and Benga. The coordinator of the rational drug use programme at the World Health Organisation (WHO) and health advisor to the Delhi government, Ranjit Roy Chaudhry, says that the programme has helped the Delhi government get drugs at 35 per cent less than their actual cost besides cutting out chances of corruption at the procurement level. Government hospitals are now buying more drugs with the money saved,'' says Chaudhry, who recently received the Secular India Award from the United Children Movement Organisation. Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana now want to implement the WHO drug procurement programme. ``Himachal Pradesh is all set to implement the scheme, the state Assembly has already okayed it,''adds Chaudhry, who is also president of the newly-formed Delhi Medical Council.

RATIONAL DRUG POLICY OF KARNATAKA STATE:

The State recognizes its responsibility as to ensure that all people are able to obtain the drugs they need or required at a price that they and the state can afford; that these drugs are safe, effective and of good quality. It will implement this responsibility through various measures, including better drug selection, pooled procurement, quality assurance, management and transparency in procedures, using resources in a socially productive way, and encouraging participation and discussion from the public and professionals in this vital area concerning lives and health of citizens. The state will support strategies in collaboration with Professional and consumer bodies to ensure safe drug and rational drug use for people. It will be alert to implementation of drug policies, including bans. Problem drugs or unsafe drugs will not be allowed to be marketed or used e.g. pediatric preparations of loperamide or diphenoxylate, unnecessary combinations of antibiotics with antidiarrhoeals, analgesics, irrational over use of second line antimalarials (mefloquin) and antitubercular drugs, growth stimulants,harmful contraceptives, hormone replacement therapies and psychotropics. The Directorate of Health and Family Welfare will take responsibility for the drug policy and will not leave it only to the Departments of Petrochemicals or Industry. Forums for intersectoral working will be made functional.

STATE DRUG POLICY OF MADHYA PRADESH:

With a view to introducing a centralised system of acquiring medicines and surgical equipments the cabinet of M.P has endorsed the drug policy presented by the Public Health and Family Welfare Department. The policy seeks to ensure purchase of quality material at minimum rates following a transparent procedure and the medicines and equipments are made available in minimum possible time. The expenditure on purchase procedure would be less and the purchased material would not be rendered useless. The policy will ensure availability of quality medicines and equipments to medical institutions as per their requirement on time. The cabinet also decided to appoint Public Health and Family Welfare Department the nodal department for purchase of medicines and other material. For this, a coordination committee would be constituted under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary, Public Health and Family Welfare. It will comprise officers of Medical Education, Gas Relief and other concerning departments. In case other departments are willing to participate in the process their officers would also be included in the committee.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

The different policies are indicative of varied aims and objectives,

as suited the writers and approvers of these documents. There is no

uniformity in the means and ends. Framing a document has become an

skillful art but its implementation has remained weak.

Here is a parrellel case. Various States had own education policies

and education was in mess. So the union govt finally agreed and

brought in the constitutional amendment to make education as

fundamental right. Having done it, it gave funds. So uniformly

various revolutionary schemes were brought in all over the country

like free basic education for all, free higher education for girls

etc.

If the health continues to be a State subject it will mean that a

better managed State will deliver better services, economically

richer State will allocate more funds for health services and such

steps will lead to inequalities in health.

Why do we have Medical Council of India, Pharmacy Council of India,

Nursing Council of India etc? Because there has to be some equal

standard of these health givers. The history has recorded what the

conditions were before these took over the reins. These are

autonomous but central organistaions. Duplication is there not for

administartive benefits but for bested interests. For eg. We have

State medical councils also. A doctor working in State has to

register with State council but can also register with central one.

How does such dictum work?

After the independence of India, the States have gained in autonomy

but lost of nationalism. The reorganisation of States on linguistic

basis was the biggest mistake committed against unity of the

country. If we let health also remain in the State domain, the

health of various departments of health administration will be

robust but not of the State residents.

Vijay

>

>

> Dear Members:

>

> In order to understand the need for promulgation of state drug

policies

> in every state of our country, we need to understand the aim and

> objectives with which various states of the Union of India have

brought

> in their state drug policies. After all what was the need for them

to

> have their own separate policies in presence of the National

> Pharmaceutical Policy. Given below is the need, aim and objectives

of

> some of the state drug policies, others shall follow soon in

subsequent

> posts. Comments are solicited from all esteemed members.

>

> With regards

>

> Dr. Geer M. Ishaq

>

> Chhattisgarh Drugs and Medical Supplies Policy:

>

>

>

> Drugs and medical supplies play an important role in the delivery

of

> health care. Sufficient attention is often not given to this

important

> aspect of health care. The State Government has therefore decided

to

> formulate a policy in this regard. Implementation of this policy

will

> improve the availability of drugs and medical supplies. It will

lead to

> use a rational use and management of drugs and medical supplies

> according to the needs of the State. This policy will make

procurement,

> distribution and utilization of drugs and medical supplies more

> efficient, transparent and accountable, which will benefit the

people of

> the State directly. A well-functioning health system reduces the

burden

> of poverty and improves the standard of living of the people to a

large

> extent. The portion of family income which is spent on medical

treatment

> can be invented for development of the family. Availability of

essential

> drugs and medical supplies is necessary to ensure proper

utilization of

> the services provided by Primary Health Centers. Since majority of

> services provided by Primary Health Centers are used by women and

> children special attention must be given to medical supplies

related to

> them.

>

>

>

> Overall goal of the Chhattisgarh Drugs and Medical Supplies Policy

is to

> improve the health of the people of Chhattisgarh through the use of

> safe, effective, good quality and affordable essential drugs and

medical

> supplies. It also aims to reduce irrational and unscientific drug

use

> that is a drain on the incomes of an impoverished population and

that is

> often hazardous as well.

>

> In order to achieve the objectives of this policy special

attention will

> need to be given to the following:

>

> 1. Safe, effective and good quality essential drugs and medical

supplies

> are available at reasonable prices at all times to the people of

the

> State.

>

> 2. The underprivileged are served on principles of equity and

social

> justice.

>

> 3. Rational use of drugs is promoted in public as well as private

sector

> through better regulation, improved training, dissemination of drug

> information, rational prescribing, and dispensing practices and

improved

> patient's compliance.

>

> 4. An effective organizational structure is established in the

public

> sector based on transparency and accountability for procurement,

> storage, distribution and use of drugs and medical supplies.

>

> 5. Qualified and trained personnel are available at all levels for

> procurement, storage, distribution, use and regulation of drugs and

> medical supplies.

>

>

>

> DELHI DRUG PROCUREMENT POLICY:

>

>

>

> The Delhi government's drug procurement policy has been adopted by

> several Asian countries and Indian states like Thailand, Myanmar,

> Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and the states of Andhra Pradesh,

Mumbai,

> Pune, Rajasthan and Benga. The coordinator of the rational drug use

> programme at the World Health Organisation (WHO) and health

advisor to

> the Delhi government, Ranjit Roy Chaudhry, says that the programme

has

> helped the Delhi government get drugs at 35 per cent less than

their

> actual cost besides cutting out chances of corruption at the

procurement

> level. Government hospitals are now buying more drugs with the

money

> saved,'' says Chaudhry, who recently received the Secular India

Award

> from the United Children Movement Organisation. Bihar, Madhya

Pradesh,

> Punjab and Haryana now want to implement the WHO drug procurement

> programme. ``Himachal Pradesh is all set to implement the scheme,

the

> state Assembly has already okayed it,''adds Chaudhry, who is also

> president of the newly-formed Delhi Medical Council.

>

>

>

> RATIONAL DRUG POLICY OF KARNATAKA STATE:

>

>

>

> The State recognizes its responsibility as to ensure that all

people are

> able to obtain the drugs they need or required at a price that

they and

> the state can afford; that these drugs are safe, effective and of

good

> quality. It will implement this responsibility through various

measures,

> including better drug selection, pooled procurement, quality

assurance,

> management and transparency in procedures, using resources in a

socially

> productive way, and encouraging participation and discussion from

the

> public and professionals in this vital area concerning lives and

health

> of citizens. The state will support strategies in collaboration

with

> Professional and consumer bodies to ensure safe drug and rational

drug

> use for people. It will be alert to implementation of drug

policies,

> including bans. Problem drugs or unsafe drugs will not be allowed

to be

> marketed or used e.g. pediatric preparations of loperamide or

> diphenoxylate, unnecessary combinations of antibiotics with

> antidiarrhoeals, analgesics, irrational over use of second line

> antimalarials (mefloquin) and antitubercular drugs, growth

> stimulants,harmful contraceptives, hormone replacement therapies

and

> psychotropics. The Directorate of Health and Family Welfare will

take

> responsibility for the drug policy and will not leave it only to

the

> Departments of Petrochemicals or Industry. Forums for intersectoral

> working will be made functional.

>

>

>

> STATE DRUG POLICY OF MADHYA PRADESH:

>

> With a view to introducing a centralised system of acquiring

medicines

> and surgical equipments the cabinet of M.P has endorsed the drug

policy

> presented by the Public Health and Family Welfare Department. The

policy

> seeks to ensure purchase of quality material at minimum rates

following

> a transparent procedure and the medicines and equipments are made

> available in minimum possible time. The expenditure on purchase

> procedure would be less and the purchased material would not be

rendered

> useless. The policy will ensure availability of quality medicines

and

> equipments to medical institutions as per their requirement on

time. The

> cabinet also decided to appoint Public Health and Family Welfare

> Department the nodal department for purchase of medicines and other

> material. For this, a coordination committee would be constituted

under

> the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary, Public Health and

Family

> Welfare. It will comprise officers of Medical Education, Gas

Relief and

> other concerning departments. In case other departments are

willing to

> participate in the process their officers would also be included

in the

> committee.

>