8.37% drugs in JK govt hospitals found substandard; Report

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 22

The samples of at least 8.37 per cent drugs taken from government-run hospitals in J&K have been found “not of standard quality” by the National Drug Survey, substantiating the claims that the quality of drugs supplied to hospitals in the state is overlooked for low prices.

“At least 17 drug samples, out of 203, taken from different government hospitals of the J&K were found not of standard quality,” reveals the official documents in possession of The Tribune.

The Drug and Food Control Organisation (DFCO) has drafted the drug scenario report 2014-2016 out of the national survey released last week with respect to J&K and sent it to the Health Department.

Controller, DFCO, Lotika Khajuri has written to the Commissioner Secretary, Health, that there is a need to evolve stringent regulation, better monitoring and enforcement of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) by pharmaceutical companies in the state.

However, much to the relief of the DFCO samples of only 3.5 per cent drugs taken for checking from different retail outlets of the state were found “not of standard quality” by the national survey.

“Only 15 drug samples, out of 441, taken from retail outlets of the J&K were found not of standard quality,” Khajuria said.

Despite having Rs 700-crore drug industry, officials said the Jammu and Kashmir was a drug-consuming state and procuring nearly 90 per cent drugs from different parts of the country.

The Health Department has come under severe criticism after the J&K Drug Controller earlier this month found six samples of drugs, including vital antibiotic ceftriaxone, supplied to government-run hospitals as substandard.

To ensure supply of quality drugs to hospitals, the government on June 1, 2015, established Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL).

According to the JKMSCL guidelines, the negotiations are held only with L1 (lowest) bidders for procuring drugs for the government-run hospitals.

However, doctors accuse the JKMSCL of overlooking the quality of drugs, some of them used for critical and life-threatening conditions, for low prices.

“The drugs which are available in the distribution system are quality drugs unless proved otherwise,” doctors say. “The onus of keeping the quality drugs available in hospitals and market is entirely on government agencies formulated for the purpose, including the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO),” said Dr Masood Rashid, executive member of the Doctors Association, Kashmir.