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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | New Central scheme to supply free generic drugs by Aarti Dhar

New Central scheme to supply free generic drugs by Aarti Dhar

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published Published on Apr 2, 2012   modified Modified on Apr 2, 2012
-The Hindu

Moving towards major reforms, the Centre is in the process of rolling out a universal health coverage package in at least one district in each State on an experimental basis.

This would include a clearly defined basket of services to those who come to any public health facility for treatment or free supply of generic drugs, doing away with user charges and upgrading public health infrastructure right from the primary to tertiary levels. The private sector would have a role to play only when needed.

These recommendations had been made by the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) in its report on universal health coverage. The panel had also recommended against any insurance scheme as a mechanism for health coverage. The HLEG had been set up by the Planning Commission and it submitted its report in November last.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry will soon write to the States asking them to put in place a professional and transparent mechanism for providing free generic drugs.

Talking to The Hindu , L.C. Goyal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry, said the scheme will be included as a new initiative under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) at a cost of Rs. 30,000 crore for the next five years.

The scheme will be implemented from sub-centres to district hospitals, but not in medical college hospitals.

Potential for misuse

At present, the Ministry is involved in working out a process to implement the scheme by taking States on board, as the scheme has enough potential for misuse.

“We need to work out a framework for implementation of the scheme. The States will have to ensure a robust and credible mechanism,” Mr. Goyal said.

The Centre has already approved a Central Procurement Agency (CPA) for supplying generic drugs to the States right up to the district level, from where the secondary and primary centres will procure these drugs.

“The States have to ensure that the doctors in the public health facilities prescribe only generic drugs and that there is a proper supply chain right up to the sub-centre level, in addition to the IT-enabled procurement mechanism and a transparent tendering system. We will have to work out a memorandum of understanding with the States like in the case of the NRHM,” Mr. Goyal said.

Importantly, the States will have to draw up standard treatment guidelines as provided under the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2011. This will help in ensuring checking the irrational use of drugs, and encourage use of generic drugs. Maharashtra and Delhi already have such guidelines.

The Hindu, 2 April, 2012, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article3271000.ece


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