Only quality drugs in future - Health Ministry

All drugs issued by the state sector in future will be of high quality and uniform prices, Health Ministry officials have assured the public. Director of the Medical Supplies Division, Health Ministry, Dr Kamal Jayasinghe told the Sunday Observer, that the Health Ministry was now directly purchasing medical drugs from local manufacturers on a five year buy back guarantee,

in order to help promote the local pharmaceutical industry.

" We purchase fifty six different medical (drugs) and surgical items in popular demand from thirteen local manufacturers. Besides giving the local industry the assurance that we will continue to purchase these products from them for a five year period, this system also has certain advantages for the Ministry as well. For example, reports of quality failures of drugs are now much fewer than before. This is because we are able to visit these factories and closely observe them , ensuring that good manufacturing practices (GMP) are carried out. Another advantage is that since these locally manufactured drugs can be purchased as and when we require them, it cuts down on the space we need to store them in our Division," he said.

On reports of drug shortages in state hospitals, he said they applied to expensive drugs required mostly for patients with specific ailments such as cancer. "However even these drugs can be supplied by our Division provided we are informed in time," he said.

Commenting on allegations of certain drugs being sold at their former prices despite a recent revision under the 100 day Plan, he said, "My unit only supplies drugs to the state sector which in turn distributes them to the public. I have no control over prices charged by the private sector."

-CA