Shimla, January 19
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today chaired a meeting of senior officers of Health Department and directed that patients visiting government health institutions be provided with quality medicines. He said that the State Government would soon invite tenders of approximately Rs. 100 crore for the procurement of medicines and would also ensure the participation of reputed pharmaceutical companies.
Sukhu said that medicines would be procured directly from manufacturers, so that world-class drugs are made available to patients in government health institutions across the state. He added that, if required, the state government would also make amendments to the Drugs Act to ensure quality medicines for the people to safeguard public interest.
The present government was making continuous efforts to bring improvements in the health sector and several reforms were being implemented in this direction. Emphasising that quality medicines were essential for delivering better healthcare services, he said that the government’s focus was to ensure world-class health facilities for the people within the state itself.
The Chief Minister also directed the Food, Civil Supplies Corporation to procure medicines for its jan aushadhi and other medicine outlets directly from pharmaceutical companies and not from the authorized dealers. He said that there was no dearth of funds with the state government, however, public money must be spent solely in the interest and welfare of the people.
