A boon for patients

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has decided to ban the issue of prescriptions in the drugs’ trade name and make it compulsory to issue drug prescribed by doctors in Government and private hospitals in the drugs’ generic name from yesterday.

This is a step in the right direction and Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva must be lauded for taking this brave decision which is not likely to go down well with the multinational pharmaceuticals companies.

The Health Ministry took the first step in this regard by banning medical representatives from entering Government hospitals during clinic hours.

It is well known that branded drugs cost at least three or four times more than the generic equivalent. There is no added benefit that patients can gain from taking the branded drug instead of the generic drug.

They contain the same chemical compounds with the same medicinal qualities. The public should be educated on the similarity between generic and branded drugs and that generic drugs are not inferior at all.

Poor patients are forced to spend huge sums on branded drugs when lower priced generic drugs are available. This will no longer be possible under the new laws.

One can also consider the benefits accrued in terms of foreign exchange savings. The country spends millions of rupees per year on importing branded drugs and this step is likely to lead to substantial savings.

This is also a boost for the Government-run Osu Salas, which have earned a reputation as the most reliable sales outlet for medicines. More Osu Sala outlets should be opened islandwide, both in hospitals and outside. The Government should run an awareness campaign, with the help of the media, to popularise Osu Sala outlets.

The Government must also boost the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC) in the light of the new decision as more drugs can be manufactured in Sri Lanka for distribution to hospitals and private pharmacies.

The regulation of private pharmacies is also a must. Only a certain percentage of pharmacies are run by duly qualified personnel and most pharmacies issue even prescription drugs without a prescription. Some of them wilfully mislead patients on drugs and sell more expensive drugs to unsuspecting patients.

Of course, some special drugs are not available in generic form as particular pharmaceutical firms have patented these brand name drugs. An exception will have to be made in these cases, especially if these are life-saving drugs for the patient.

Sri Lankan institutions such as the Medical Research Institute, universities and SPMC must also conduct more research on drugs using locally sourced compounds. It is no secret that some valuable indigenous medicinal plants found in the forests have been exploited by various elements.

An indigenous approach is vital to develop Lanka’s health sector, already recognised as one of the best in Asia. In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged several countries including Nepal to follow Lanka’s health system.

This will be further complemented by the proposed Action Plan for the SAARC Social Charter which will see a reduction in poverty as well.

Sri Lanka has succeeded in eradicating a number of diseases. Even AIDS prevalence is very low in Sri Lanka. But challenges still remain. The Government is developing rural hospitals and several hospitals which were under Provincial Councils were taken over by the Central Government.

This will also obviate the need for pateints in rural areas to come to main cities for medical treatment.

There are several areas of concern. Dengue raises its head from time though health authorities assure that the situation is under control. Dengue fever is essentially an urban disease and it has been endemic in the city for the last 45 years.

While the number of patients decreased in most parts of the country, Colombo did much better by having only 376 patients last year.

The public also have a role to play in ensuring better health as the Government alone cannot fulfil this task.

For example, it is not difficult to clean one’s garden on a regular basis in order to prevent mosquito breeding. Maintaining a proper healthcare system is the responsibility of both the State and the public.