Shimla: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday directed the health department to prepare a new ‘essential drugs list‘ to ensure the regular availability of quality medicines for patients in govt health institutions across the state.
Chairing a review meeting of the department, Sukhu said the proposed list would be examined and approved by a high power committee to maintain high standards of efficacy and safety.
Emphasising reforms in the procurement system, Sukhu said the shift towards direct procurement of medicines from manufacturers was a strategic initiative rather than merely a cost-saving step. He noted that eliminating middlemen would help reduce delays, enhance transparency, and ensure an uninterrupted supply of life-saving drugs. Necessary provisions will be made to maintain a consistent inventory of essential medicines in public hospitals, he added.
The CM also instructed officials to strengthen the mechanism for sampling and quality testing of medicines supplied to the govt health institutions. For this purpose, dedicated quality-testing cells will be established in each medical college, with adequate staffing, training, and modern equipment.
In the first phase, such cells will be set up at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, and Dr Rajendra Prasad Govt Medical College, Tanda, in Kangra district, he said.
Sukhu also directed strict quality checks of medicines manufactured by pharmaceutical companies in Himachal Pradesh. He ordered rigorous enforcement of Schedule-M provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, reiterating that no compromise would be tolerated when it came to patients’ health.
