SHILLONG, FEB 12: The Meghalaya government on Thursday constituted two committees that will find out whether expired medicines are lying in the go-down and also to ensure that the purchase of medicines in the state should be based on ‘demand-driven’.
The two committees include a Fact Finding Committee (FFC) headed by Secretary of Health while the other committee on purchase of medicine will be under the additional chief secretary in charge of health.
“We have decided to constitute the FFC to ascertain the facts with regards to the expired medicines that were lying in the government’s godown,” Meghalaya health minister AL Hek told reporters after a high level meeting with officials of the health department on Thursday.
Hek said the four-member FFC will also find out the root cause that led to the expiry of these medicines.
The FFC was also constituted after there was allegation of disposal of expired medicines worth up to Rs 4 crores purchased under the funds of the National Health Rural Mission (NRHM) recently.
Apart from the health secretary, the other members of the FFC include – Director of Health Service (DHS) – MCH, DHS-Research and DHS-MI Deputy Director (Administration).
“The committee has been directed to submit its report within a period of one month,” Hek said.
Stating there are medicines whose expiration date are over and are lying in the Central Warehousing in Shillong, Hek, however, asserted, “But there is no disposing of these medicines.”
Hek informed that the last purchase of medicines by the NHRM was made during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 and the total amount spent for the purpose was Rs 4.25 crores and said till now there has been no purchase of medicines.
Further, Hek informed that the meeting also decided to constitute a committee to be headed by additional chief secretary in charge of Health to see that the purchase of medicines in the state should be according to the demand.
“All these years, the purchase of medicines has been based on the supply-driven,” Hek said adding “Due to this, the government has entrusted the committee to play the role of an apex body to decide on the purchase of medicines.”
Meanwhile, Hek admitted that due to the transportation problem faced by the health department it has affected supply of medicines to the hospitals and health centres in the 11 districts of the state.
“At present there is only one truck and it is difficult to supply medicines to the entire state,” Hek said even as he informed that the meeting today has decided to allow the department to hire more vehicles to ensure that medicines reaches the different districts of the state on time.- By Our Reporter
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