National Drug Policy soon

Lakmini RODRIGO

COLOMBO: The long delayed National Medicinal Drug Policy (NMDP) will be a reality soon with a decision taken for its gazetting shortly, Health and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said yesterday.

The NMDP had been on the backburner for nearly 50 years, but no proper measures have been taken for its implementation, the Minister added.

Speaking at a meeting of health sector stakeholders to discuss the implementation of the NMDP at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, the Minister said that Cabinet approval had been granted for the setting up of the NMDP.

The Government has already approved the establishment of an Independent Drug Regulatory Authority.

The policy was drafted after taking into account World Health Organisation (WHO) documents and ideas of all health sector stake holders.

The NMDP had been drafted with the objective of promoting the local manufacture of essential drugs, promoting the rational use of medicines by healthcare professionals and consumers, and ensure the availability and affordability of high quality drugs to the people.

The Minister, stressing the importance of the policy, said that 10 to 15 per cent of the country's drug requirements should be met by local drug manufacturers.

He added that in countries such as India and Bangladesh a considerable percentage of their drugs are produced locally.

While accepting the fact that it was more beneficial to import some drugs, Minister Siripala de Silva said that attempts should be made to locally produce drugs that are in common usage like paracetamol and saline.

According to the minister Rs.100 million has been allocated by the government to improve storage facilities for drugs required for the Government sector hospitals.

The Minister said that the new policy focuses on providing high quality drugs at reasonable prices.

Drug companies, Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), the Patient's Rights Movement, WHO officials and many other institutions involved in the health sector were present at the meeting.