The details of the directions giving by Federal Ministry of Health to Provincial Government for the improvement of Health Sector are elaborate. The points included for this purpose and for guidance of the concerned provincial govern-ment departments are specified below:
• Implementation of recommendations made by the senate sub-committee on interior on spurious drugs must be implemented on top priority.
• Working of coordination cells established by the Health Ministry on 26-11-2008 needs to be improved for intelligence sharing with the law enforcement agencies for effective action against manufacturers/sellers of spurious drugs specially the mobile/thaila bardar sellers.
• There is an urgent need to adopt appropriate measures so that the sale of drugs other than Over The Counter (OTC) drugs should not be allowed without the prescription of registered medical practitioners.
• Sale of drugs without proper warranty issued in accordance with the pro-visions of Drugs Act. 1976 must be effectively checked and stopped.
• Effective could chain system during transportation must be developed and strictly enforced.
• Effective cold chain system at distribution/sale outlets must be developed and strictly enforced.
• Effective action against sale of drugs without license must be taken as the persons involved in this malpractice are spreading quackery and prescribing all categories of drugs which are fraught with serious risks.
• Drug Sale Rules may be reviewed and updated to meet the scientific requirements of transportation, storage, qualified person, sale and documentation.
• Drug testing laboratories must be strengthened and all equipments be validated annually and upgraded as required under Section 11 (F) of the Drugs Act. 1976.
• Inspectorate should be strengthened with one inspector at tehsil/ taluka level with proper hierarchy at district, regional and provincial level.
• Inspection vehicles should also be provided to all inspectors as proper inspections are not possible without jeeps/cars.
• Campaign to check and stop unethical/ misleading advertisement of drugs or a remedy or a treatment to offer of treatment, may be intensified.
• Hospital Pharmacy- a mean to ensure supply of quality and safe drugs to the ailing humanity must be organized on scientific lines with one pharmacist for every 50 beds and proper hierarchy. This will ensure patient counseling for safe and appropriate use of drugs, reduce drug- drug and drug – food inter-actions, better evaluation and monitoring of drug safety and toxicity.
• System for monitoring the performance of inspectorate and government analysts be introduced by the Central Licensing Board (For Federal Inspectors and Federal Government Analysts) and Provincial Quality Control Boards (For Provincial Inspectors and Provincial Government Analysts).
• Merit Certificates/ Incentive/ Civil Awards should be awarded to the officers of Drugs Control Administration showing very good/ outstanding/ exemplary performance and commitment.
The above critical issues were also raised and discussed thoroughly in last meeting of Sub-Committee of Standing Committee of National Assembly on Health held on 22-1-2009. The Sub-Committee members strongly emphasized on adoption of concrete measures on top priority basis to ensure availability of safe, effective and quality drugs to the ailing masses. Proper allocation of funds was also stressed as without appropriate fund allocation, the desired results would not be achieved.
MoH to kindly give highest priority to the above mentioned critical issues relating to public health and prepare a short term and long term plan, implementation of which should be monitored regularly on monthly basis under intimation of this Ministry.