Govt making efforts to make quality healthcare available to people at their doorsteps: Bhatnagar

Srinagar, Jul 4: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar Monday remarked that effective health care delivery is top priority of present administration and government is making concerted efforts to make quality healthcare available to citizens of J&K at their doorsteps.
The Advisor made these while speaking at the workshop on “Availability & Affordability of Medicines for All”, organised by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, GoI in association with J&K, Drug & Food Control Organization and Price Monitoring & Resource Unit (PMRU), J&K at Auditorium of Government Medical College (GMC), here.
Principal GMC, Srinagar, Dr. Samia Rashid; Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Shakeel Ul Rehman Rather; Drugs Controller J&K, Lotika Khajuria; HoDs of different medical departments of GMC, doctors, medical students, large number of pharma entrepreneurs and other concerned stakeholders were present on the occasion.
Speaking the workshop, Advisor Bhatnagar said that this workshop is important as it concerns one of the core areas of our healthcare system the availability and pricing of medicines and medical devices He added that the government is giving top priority to the health sector Speaking on the importance of this workshop, Advisor Bhatnagar highlighted that events like this will set up the eco system for addressing the issues of availability, overpricing and black marketing of medicines . He remarked that for controlling overpricing and black marketing of medicines, active role of all stakeholders is a must.
While highlighting on the objectives of PMRU established in J&K, Advisor Bhatnagar said that it will act as an agency for monitoring quality of medicines, their pricing as well as availability and affordability across Jammu and Kashmir. He also asked the public to use the toll-free number 18001807194 for reporting any kind of overpricing or black marketing of drugs or medicines.
Advisor Bhatnagar highlighted that the Universal Health Insurance scheme- SEHAT has been operationalised so that the poorest of poor can afford advanced medical care facilities across the empanelled hospitals in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Principal GMC remarked that this workshop will provide the roadmap for setting up standards of drug availability in J&K.
Commissioner, FDA, speaking on the occasion said that PMRU will assist in price monitoring, ensure availability as well as strengthen the monitoring mechanism so that quality medicine is made available to public.
In her welcome address, Drugs Controller J&K spoke on the broad contours of the workshop.