Meghalaya Health minister sets up two committees

Meghalaya government today constituted two committees tasked with ascertaining facts relating to reported destruction of over Rs four crore medicines lying in the health department go-down and the other to ensure that purchase of medicines should be based on 'demand-driven'.
The two committees include the fact finding committee (FFC) to be headed by Secretary of Health while the other committee on purchase of medicine will be under the additional chief secretary in charge of Health.
"We have decided to constitute the fact finding committee (FFC) to ascertain the facts with regards to the expired medicines that were lying in the government's godown," Health Minister AL Hek told reporters after a high level meeting with officials of the Health department held here.

He said the four-member FFC will also find out the root cause that led to the destruction of expired medicines valued over Rs 4 crore recently purchased under the funds of the National Health Rural Mission (NRHM) recently.
Apart from Health Secretary, the other members of the FFC also include - Director of Health Service (DHS) - MCH, DHS-Research and DHS-MI Deputy Director (Administration) and they will report within a month, he said.
The Health minister said that the last purchase of medicines by the NHRM was made during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 and the total amount spent for the purpose was Rs 4.25 crore.

Further, the minister informed that the meeting also decided to constitute a committee to be headed by additional chief secretary in charge of Health to see that the purchase of medicines in the state should be according to the demand.

"All these years, the purchase of medicines has been based on the supply-driven," Hek said adding "Due to this, the government has entrusted the committee to take the role of an apex body to decide on the purchase of medicines."
Meanwhile, Hek admitted that due to the transportation problem faced by the Health department, it has affected the supply of medicines to the hospitals and health centres in the 11 districts of the state.

"At present there is only one truck and it is difficult to supply medicines to the entire state," he said while informing that the meeting today has decided to allow the department to hire more vehicles to ensure that medicines reaches the different districts of the state on time.