Govt takes steps to ensure availability of necessary medicines: Kiani

ISLAMABAD, Mar 05 (APP):Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Aamir Mehmood Kiani on Tuesday said the government had taken several steps for maintaining quality and availability of necessary medicines in the country.
Replying to a question in the Senate, the minister said the number of Inspectors of Drugs had increased from 14 to 21 for further strengthening the implementation of DRAP Act, 2012.
He said the Federal Government had notified Bar Coding System (Serialization) for prompt tracing and tracking of spurious and counterfeit drugs at every level.
He said the legislation procedure of registration of drugs had been upgraded in accordance with international guidelines that would enable the government to obtain more information on active pharmaceutical ingredients, manufacturing and analysis methods and product characteristics etc that would enhance the product quality.
He said DRAP had increased coordination with provincial health departments. He added a National Task Force had been constituted for eradication of spurious and un-registered drugs.
He said more than 1600 cases had been registered by the federal and provincial inspectors against the manufacturers and sellers found in violations of DRAP Act, 2012.
He said about 214 FIRs across the country had been registered under the campaign against manufacturers and sellers of spurious and unregistered drugs.
He said DRAP was in the phase of its accreditation and certification from World Health Organization (WHO). In that regard, DRAP had achieved level-II (Reactive Approach) of WHO’s National Regulatory Authority (NRA) and Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT).
He said DRAP was now applying for level-III (Stable Formal System approach) compliance assessment by WHO which endorsed that NRA had systematic regulatory approach and function with the essential capacity were implemented.
He said a committee on availability of medicines had been constituted by DRAP which monitored and ensured availability of necessary medicines in the country.
He said DRAP was always vigilant to avoid any unjustified shortages of drugs on part of manufacturer and importer and was in continuous connect with the manufacturers and importers regarding non-availability of medicines.
The minister said DRAP conducted surveys through Inspector of Drugs. In most cases, alternate generic medicines are also made available in the market.
He said Pakistan Institute of medical Sciences (PIMS) was fully equipped with the latest medical facilities. The PC 1’s were also submitted to replace old equipment with the latest ones.
He said the Cardiac Care Centre was doing angiograpghy, angioplasty and cardiac surgeries. PIMS was the only public hospital in which stents were available for all the patients who needed primary angioplasty, he added.
He said the life saving drugs were being provided from all the components of PIMS like Islamabad Hospital, Children Hospital, Mother and Child Health Center, Burn Care Center and Cardiac Care Center.
He said the government was planning vertical and horizontal extension of the Federal Government Polyclinic (FGPC) hospital, in a purpose built structure.
He said the additional 2.54 acres land had been allocated from the adjacent Argentina Park. Recently the possession of the land had been taken from CDA and PC–II for feasibility had been approved. It would facilitate full range of diagnostic, and therapeutic services, he added.
He said with the extension the number of beds would increase from 545 to 1100 while facilities like MRI and C T Scan would be also available in the hospital after its extension.