Jammu, February 16 (Scoop News) – -Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan has said that ‘New Drug Policy’ would be enforced in the State from April this year. He said that New Drug Policy has been already approved by the State Cabinet and passed by the Assembly during last session adding that its enforcement will prove helpful to check growth of spurious drug combinations and adulteration of highly chosen brands which waste a lot of patient’s money in the State.
The Health Minister disclosed this while reviewing the functioning of Drug and Food Control Organization at a meeting of the officers held here on Saturday.
Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education,M K Dewidi, Controller Drug and Food Organization, Dr. Satash Gupta, Deputy
controllers, assistant controllers, designated food officers, besides other senior officers of the Organization attended the meeting.
The Minister expressed that single most vital component of health care is drugs as they account for substantial household expenditure
on health. He said that the market for drugs has been growing rapidly in terms of production, trade, investment, employment and consumption and highly priced branded drugs wastes lot of patient’s money in purchase of drugs.
He said under the purview of New Drug Policy the capacity of the Health & Medical Education Department to procure good quality drugs and ensure timely supply also has scope for improvement.
He instructed the concerned that after a detailed Drug policy, the law enforcement agencies should have to start the process to identify the pharma companies and illegal drug stores, which are violating the norms and are using the state as their dumping ground for its products adding that government would also set up an Intelligence-cum-Legal Cell in Drug and Food Control Organization to facilitate contravention of fake drug rackets and their prompt prosecution.
“Irrational use of drugs leads to serious problems through adverse drug reactions, drug resistance, increased morbidity and high cost”, he said and asked the functionaries of Drug & Food Control Organization also has constraints of capacity in ensuring the obligatory quality standards of the drugs under the provisions of law.
The Health Minister said the Monitoring and valuation is an essential component of the State Drug Policy, with provision that checking should take place at regular intervals and complete external evaluation of the drugs supplied will be conducted after every 2 years.
The Minister impressed upon the field functionaries to work boldly and without any pressure and ensure tangible results in implementation of requisite drug and food Acts for the welfare of the people. He also instructed for organizing anti-tobacco campaigns in educational institutions by involving NGOs and Health experts. He directed concerned to make surprise checks in offices, public places and fine the smokers under the Act.
Controller, Drug and Food Organization, Dr, Satash Gupta presented a power point presentation on the physical and financial achievement registered by the organization in the implementation of the drug and food safety Acts in the State so far during current financial year. He informed that 1723 statuary drug samples have been lifted, 76 prosecutions launched, penalty of Rs.11000 realized from various offenders, Rs.23.87 lakh drugs have been seized in respect of certain contraventions, 78 licenses of retail/ whole sale/manufacturing drug units have been suspended, 240 licenses cancelled,187 unlicensed establishments detected and sealed.
He said that under the Food Adulteration Act, the organization has lifted 1672 sample of food articles for testing, 328 prosecutions launched, penalty of Rs 22.04 lakh realized from various offenders, 1806 samples tested, 1640 persons booked for smoking in public places and amount of Rs. 1.25 lakh realized as fine from the defaulters, besides 117 shopkeepers and vendors have been booked during the period.