Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 19: Former Health Minister and sitting Minister for PHE, I&FC Sham Lal Sharma today said that some people were trying to play politics over the issues of recent recovery of spurious drugs and trying to link his name with the issue for their vested interests.
Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Sharma said that the supply of spurious or sub-standard drugs to the needy patients was a criminal act. The people who are responsible for these cases should be prosecuted as per law of the land. He said the Ministry of Health has instituted a probe and we should wait for its verdict before jumping into conclusions. And if the findings of the probe are not satisfactory, the Government can initiate any other probe to find out the facts of the cases.
“Since I was holding the charge of Health portfolio earlier and some people tried to tarnish my reputation, I was compelled to break my silence and place on record the facts before public. When I was Health Minister new Drug Policy was introduced and Cabinet had approved it. Before going for implementation, it was placed on public domain. Two new drug testing labs were also set up. Some people even opposed drug policy and some among them are now crying hoarse and launched propaganda,” he maintained.
Mr Sharma claimed that for purchase of drugs, equipment/ machines etc committees have been framed by the Government. The same procedure was being adopted during Governor rule. Principals of Medical College, Jammu and GMC Srinagar are the heads of the committees while Director Health Kashmir/ Jammu are also members besides Drug Controller and others. It is solely the job of purchase committee to fix the rates contract, approve purchase of drugs in the State, of course after fulfilling the due process of tendering. He said Minister had no role to play in the purchase of medicines as committees were already there for the purpose. He also denied his link with the Muthi based firm with whom his name is being linked in some media reports in Kashmir. Mr Sharma claimed that not Ashok Kumar but Akhil Gadoo and one Amardeep Raina are the partners of the so called firm Life Line Pharma Surgical, Muthi which he has inquired at his own level.
Replying to a question, the Minister said during 2011, 1940 samples of drugs were lifted at random for checking in the lab and 133 samples were found sub-standard. He said the trial was going on but no one has been punished so far. During 2009-10, out of 1245 samples of drugs taken by Drug Controller, 36 found sub-standard and eight spurious. Five cases were sent for prosecution but nobody was punished. He claimed that the law concerning Drugs & Cosmetics Act was very weak and needed to be amended.
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