Harsh calls for immediate action in sub-standard drugs scam

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 29: National Panthers Party (NPP) Chairman and MLA Harshdev Singh has expressed concern over the persistent disclosures being made regarding flooding of the market with fake and sub standard drugs thereby threatening and endangering the very lives and health of the people of the State.
In a statement here, NPP MLA said it was criminal that the distribution of spurious medicines has been continuing unabated in the entire State with the authorities concerned having acquired medicines even from private drug companies which have been blacklisted in other States.
Questioning the Government’s inadequate response to the highly sensitive and grave issue, Harshdev Singh said there were several apprehensions and doubts required to be dispelled and addressed. He claimed that under the generic system J&K was supposed to purchase medicines from Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India (BPPI) and provide them in all the hospitals which intriguingly was not done. He said that the Central Government has been repeatedly insisting on opening of ‘Jan Aushadi Drug Stores’ and further seeking reports on implementation of its directions which however went unheeded. He said that the Government owes an explanation for persisting with the present system of drug procurement and further justify its stand for not shifting to the proposed central policy.
Cautioning the State and Central Governments of highly sensitive and volatile nature of the issue, Mr. Singh called for emergent remedial measures including intensification of market surveys as any further laxity in the matter could have dangerous ramifications.