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| IRCS get space, waits for nod by D&FCO | | Poor patients' quest for cheaper medicines | | Nitesh Sangral
Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 22: The poor people of Jammu province would have to wait further for getting cheaper medicines from Jan Aushadhi Drug Stores (JADS) fair price drug stores-to be opened by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) in various hospitals as in the last three years, IRCS has got space but now their file has been withheld by Drug and Food Controller Organization (D&FCO).
Sources informed Early Times that nearly three years back, on the recommendations of Union government, IRCS was assigned the job to open the fair price shops in Government Medial College (GMC) hospital Shri Maharaja Ghulab Singh (SMGS) hospital and other associated hospitals, but in the last three years, only space was made available to IRCS. "After getting space, the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) Jammu wing has been trying to get license for opening of shops but in the last six months, they had not got permission from Drug and Food Controller Organization (D&FCO).
An official in GMC maintained that the project was halted by the lobby of pharma companies and doctors, who have been getting huge pecuniary benefits. "With an aim to provide medicines to the people at rates-nearly 400 percent cheaper-than the market, the proposal of opening of JADS was mooted but for the last three years, the proposal has been blocked by influential Pharma lobby (Drug mafia) with the help of some doctors and a few officials from the Drug and Food Controller Origination (D&FCO)", sources alleged.
"Most medicines are being supplied through the distributors-pharma companies nexus. The private companies will never allow such stores to become a reality as JK has become a lucrative market for medicine consumption," sources claimed and adding due to this the project has been delaying since three years.
This year, the Indian Red Cross Society had given approval for the establishment of two stores, one in GMC Jammu and SMGS hospitals and they have spent nearly six lakhs on the renovation work on the stores. However, IRCS has not been getting licensee from the D&FCO still.
When contacted to Project Manager of IRCS Asraf Wani said that after incessant struggle, the GMC and SMGS hospital administration had allotted space following which they had also applied for the licenses in April 2014 but Drug and Food Controller Organization (D&FCO) has not gave permission.
"Since, the administration of D&FCO had demanded an affidavit attested by 1st class Magistrate and we had provided affidavit with attested by Executive Magistrate 1st class but they didn't accept it and demanded Jurisdictional Magistrate 1st class affidavit, which is causing delay and helping the drug mafia", he alleged. He also alleged that D&FCO administration has been demanding more and more documents and were not guiding properly.
Pointing towards a big nexus which has been creating hurdles, in materialization of scheme, Wani further said that they had signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) between State Department of Health and Medical Education, IRCS state branch and Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertaking of India (BPPI) to Commissioner Secretary of Health and Medical Education Department for approval in 2011, but unfortunately the MoU approved in 2014 after sending repeated reminders to the department.
Contesting the claims of Project Manager of IRCS, Deputy Controller of D&FCO Lotika Khajuria said under rule 54 it has been clearly mentioned, "if anyone is applying for license of drug store it must be submit an affidavit attested by Jurisdictional Magistrate 1st class. We are not delaying issue the license; once the IRCS will submit required documents, license will be issued", she said. |
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