Workshop Highlights Government Initiatives To Make Healthcare Affordable

New Delhi, 20 Jan 2018: A workshop on accessibility, availability and affordability of pharmaceutical products was organised by Drugs Control Department of Delhi government in association with National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) recently. The event helped the department and other stakeholders understand various provisions of DPCO, 2013 and other issues related to essential drugs.

The workshop was inaugurated by Satyendar Jain, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of NCT of Delhi. Jain laid emphasis on ensuring availability of medicines to the poor at affordable prices. He also detailed the initiatives of Delhi government such as Mohalla Clinics and generic medicine prescription and requested NPPA officers to put a cap on the trade margin up to a maximum of 50 per cent.

Raajiv Yaduvanshi, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Delhi, during his keynote address informed that Drugs Control Department of Delhi is committed to curb the pharmaceutical drug abuse and has taken a zero tolerance stand. He further added that though the checking of overcharging is the duty of regulators it is a team work of all stakeholders.

Bhupendra Singh, Chairman NPPA, informed that the authority has fixed ceiling price of 821 scheduled medicines so far including 65 cardio vascular, 12 anti-diabetics, 41 HIV/AIDS, 28 tuberculosis and 70 anti-cancer drugs. It has also fixed prices of 106 non-schedule medicines under para 19 of DPCO, 2013 out of which 84 are used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and 22 for diabetes. 

Sudhansh Pant, Joint Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, apprised the audience of the initiatives of the Union government regarding opening of Jan Ausadhi Kendras which is a very significant step in the service of masses and towards making affordable medicines available to the public at large and informed that as on date we are having more than 3,000 Jan Ausadhi stores all over the country. He also stressed upon minimising the difference in prices between generic, branded generics and branded medicines.

SN Misra, Special Secretary Health, Delhi, during his welcome address stressed that all stakeholders should be committed to work together to achieve the objective of making efficacious and quality medicines available to the consumers at affordable price. 

Atul Kumar Nasa, Head of Office, Controlling Authority, Drugs Control Department, Delhi, proposed the vote of thanks and assured the commitment of Drugs Control Department towards stopping drug addiction and ensuring availability of safe, efficacious and quality medicines at affordable price.

The workshop was attended by various pharma industry professionals and senior government officials. Pharmabiz