037. Kerala Health Service being sold out wholesale to British.

Kerala govt to ink pact with London-based NICE to revitalize health sector in the state

By Pharma Biz

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Amid reports that the health sector in Kerala is bedeviled by many problems that have led to reduction in quality of service delivery in certain health institutions, the state government has decided to ink a pact with the London based National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to revitalize the entire health services in the state.

The tie-up will be for the next three years and with the intervention of NICE, best standard could be maintained in all spheres of health sector in the state, said Rajeev Sadanandan, principal secretary, health, government of Kerala. He was speaking at the valedictory session of the pharmacists’ conference at Thiruvananthapuram recently. The total system will become in a systematic and proper way and separate guidelines for treatment, medicine, services of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other para medical professionals will come into force. In future, there will not be any variation in the treatment, he said.

NICE, an arm of the national health services of the UK government, provides independent, authoritative and evidence-based guidance on the most effective ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease and ill health, reducing inequalities and variation.

“For the next three years, the department will be monitored by NICE, strict vigilance and standard can be maintained in each and every area of the health sector. They will carry out assessments of the most appropriate treatment regimes for different diseases. This will help the desired medical outcomes for patients. The use of new and existing medicines, treatments, clinical practice, guidance on treatment procedures, advice to patients and public sector workers on health promotion and ill-health avoidance will be provided by the experts of the organisation,” the health secretary said.

There are reports that the health sector in Kerala is bedeviled by many problems that have led to reduction in quality of service delivery in certain health institutions. Besides, unavailability of medicines in hospitals, high prices for essential drugs, inadequacy of sufficient staff and strikes by nurses have also affected the sector badly. The government is looking for a concrete solution to all these issues without chance for recurrence, it is learnt.

The health secretary said that in the next session of the state Legislative Assembly, the government will introduce the Clinical Establishment Bill which will standardize the fee being levied by private hospitals and clinical institutions for various services. Further, drug rationalization committee will also be formed in all district hospitals, which will prepare the list of medicines to be distributed under a scheme for providing generic drugs from November 1. In all the government hospitals in Kerala, generic medicines will be available on reasonable rates and a treatment protocol will also come into force from November, he added.

Regarding predicament of pharmacies in the hospital, the principal health secretary said he would look into the possibility of standardization of pharmacies and try to get accreditation from NABH for model pharmacies in the state. By receiving the set of guidelines prepared by the pharmacy council, he said the Council as well as the pharmacists association has to ensure the value addition to the health sector from their side.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=70748&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz. Com


Comment:

There was an independent and reliable system of medicine-actually a system of a combination of ingenious and native treatment and nourishing system- existing in India before the British installed allopathy and revamped the field of Indian Medical Attendance. Today, almost all indigenous systems including the world famous ayurveda are ignored and neglected and only allopathy is being given importance and monopoly. In India, even now, poor people when they are sick, can still go to a government hospital and become healthy again, availing the benefits of the famous Free Indian Hospital System. It is when we have no money and therefore no nutrition that diseases afflict us. Therefore this free hospital system has been a great blessing to the Indian masses. It has been what sustained the people of India through their years of sickness. The money involved in retaining this system was people’s money, not the dowry money of Indian Health Authorities. It is the same money which funds the treatment of Government Ministers, MPs VIPs and Government Secretaries abroad; there is no shame in people regaining their health by availing free treatment. The very people in India who are directly partaking in bringing about this sale deed of a country's good will and charity are beneficiaries of this Free Indian Hospital System which they are going to abolish for ever. Which one of them does not receive free hospital care from government?

In the United Kingdom there is now no free hospital treatment. Either you pay money at the hospital or you pay money in advance for insurance. This is exactly what the British monitoring of Kerala Health Services Department is going to bring to Kerala. It is a full implementation of the British Health System, minus everything good in it. The first thing they are going to force without caring people’s resistance is abolishing every kind of free medical assistance. What is a collapsing British economy finding prospectful in extending managerial assistance to the health care sector of a thriving former colony, except exporting over-paid excess staff? -Editor-in-Chief.

036. Now anyone rich to study abroad can practice in India without tests.

Centre plans to allow overseas Indian medical graduates to practice without tests.

By Pharma Biz

Our Bureau, New Delhi
Friday, January 04, 2013

Centre is planning to amend the Medical Council of India (MCI) Act to allow  Indian doctors, who have graduated abroad, to practice in India without the mandatory tests and clearance.

A bill in this regard has been drafted by the Union health ministry which plans to push it during the Budget session of the Parliament, Union Health Secretary P K Pradhan disclosed at the ongoing Global Healthcare Summit in Kerala recently.

Soliciting ideas and partnerships from the private sector, Pradhan said the Government was planning to improve the secondary care by upgrading the district hospitals. “There is a huge scope for partnership with the private sector in the areas like diagnostic services and labs. We will encourage district hospitals to run medical college campuses to augment the capacity in PG education and private players can help in this area,” he said at the CEO Forum in connection with the meet.

Speaking on the occasion, managing director of Sami Labs Dr Muhammed said his company was inspired by Ayurveda, the mother of all sciences. “We have developed two natural drugs, one for glaucoma and another for treating psoriasis first time in the country. Three other drugs are in the pipeline,’’ he said.

DM Healthcare chairman Dr Azad Moopen suggested that the forum should be utilized to firm up concrete partnership, to begin with the idea of setting up medical colleges in each district. To achieve the inclusive growth, he also called upon the government to think of levying Sin tax on alcohol and even on soft drinks to part finance a proper social insurance scheme, a release said.

“On improving the quality, the Government can do it easily. Instead of voluntary systems of accreditation, government should make it mandatory for all clinical establishments to have certificates like that from NABH,” he argued.

Device Controller of India Dr Eswara Reddy, Chairman of Medical Council of India Dr K K Talwar, Principal Health Secretary in Kerala Shri Rajeev Sadanandan, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences medical director Dr Prem Nair, president of American Medical Association Dr Jeremy Lazarus, Health Attache from US Embassy in Delhi Mr Stevan Smith, Dr Rajan Badwe of Tata Institute, Dr Philip Augustine of Lakeshore Hospital, Mr Bob Miglani of Pfizer, Dr K M Cherian of Frontier Healthcare, Dr Neal Simon of American University of Antigua, Dr M Sahadulla of KIMS, Tridvandrum and Dr Faizal Khan of NIMS were among those to attend the high-profile meet.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=73014&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

Comment: 

Some fathers will go to any extreme to make their nincompoop sons and daughters doctors, and they will get anyone’s help too. It was the dream of all low-grade medical students who study abroad to practice in India without undergoing the stringent tests and examinations of India- the hall mark of Indian medicine which placed Indian doctors in much demand abroad. Now that dream is being fulfilled by rich fathers who are in total control of authority.

035. Major pharma companies behind vigilance raid: Drug Control Officers.

Major pharma companies behind vigilance raid in drug control offices in Kerala: KSDCOA

By Pharma Biz. Com

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai

Friday, August 17, 2012

The Kerala State Drugs Control Officers Association (KSDCOA) has said that the allegations being levelled against the state drug control administration by a section of the media on account of a state-wide vigilance raid at the drug control offices last week are baseless and ill-motivated.

According to the Association, there are certain major pharmaceutical companies behind the vigilance raid, against whom the department has recently initiated punitive action for violations of various sections in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (D&C Act).

KSDCOA has admitted that a performance audit conducted at the DC offices by the office of the Accountant General last year had raised the eyebrows of the auditing officers on the functioning of the enforcement officers. The association said the reason for the AG’s criticisms were due to lack of awareness about legislation and ground realities.

The enforcement officers said Rule 63 of the drugs and cosmetics rules stipulates that once an application for renewal is received on time, the licence is deemed to be in force until the application is disposed off. So there is no need of worry in any way for the trader or dealer. However, they maintained that the reason for the delay in issuing the licence was shortage of staff in the offices.

Regarding delay in issuing test results of samples, the association said the D&C Act foresees no role for the drug control officers in testing of drugs, which is the duty and responsibility of the government analysts attached to the drug testing laboratory. But the officers have admitted that most of the test results are obtained after the drugs were consumed by the patients. Here also, the officers found the reason for the delay is shortage of staff, machinery and laboratories.

By reiterating the fact that the state authorities have no role in price fixation of drugs, the drug control officers said they have not shied away from taking punitive actions against the dealer whenever a case of charging of excess price or refusal of drugs was detected.

While admitting that there are instances of corruption in the department as in other spheres of life, they said several of the officers are doing honest job to keep the state free from spurious and sub-standard drugs. They claimed that Kerala drugs control department is the first government agency in the country to launch prosecution against the pharma companies which had refused supply of drugs to a section of traders at the instance of All Kerala Chemists & Druggists Association (AKCDA). The incessant flow of drugs to the state owned Karunya Community Pharmacies has taken place due to the intervention of the department by initiating action against AKCDA, the association opined.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=70665&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

034. Vigilance raid in Kerala Drug Control Offices.

Vigilance dept conducts raids in drug control offices across Kerala

By Pharma Biz

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Sleuths of the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption (DVAC) in Kerala conducted simultaneous raids in all the Assistant Drug Controllers’ and Drug Inspectors’ offices across the state on August 10 following informal complaints of rampant corruption against drug control officers, said a senior officer in the DVAC.

The vigilance officer said the department was receiving a slew of complaints from the drug traders from all the districts on alleged demand of bribery by drug inspectors and senior officials for renewal of the traders’ licences and for test reports from labs. According to him the drug control officials are deliberately delaying the services of the concerned offices for not giving them money as bribe by the traders.

He said his team has seized Rs.11000 from a drug inspector’s pocket during the raid. More cases of corruption are being investigated and surprise raids will be conducted further in all the offices, if needed.

Speaking to Pharmabiz, the officer of the anti-corruption department said all the problems pertaining to the price, quality, standard and availability of drugs are occurred in the state due to the inefficient way of operations of the drug control department. He said the department’s lackadaisical attitude is the main cause for the distribution of sub-standard quality drugs in the state.

However, he admitted that there is heavy work load in analytical laboratory of the department because of shortage of staff, but renewal of licences is delayed for collecting money from traders.

The vigilance officer, who led the team in the capital for raid, said a drug inspector asks for Rs.1000 per week from each medical store and senior officers demand a sum of Rs.5000 to find solutions for the traders’ problems with the government. When asked whether such cases of corruption were received against ayurvedic drug inspectors, he said there were some cases.

When contacted, state drugs controller CS Satheesh Kumar said there are limitations in the facilities of the drug testing lab, hence the test reports are getting delayed. Regarding renewal of licences, he said once the application is given for renewal, the trader can go on with his business until the department releases the renewed certificate and the delay does not affect his business.

Further he said there is shortage of drug inspectors and analysts in the department, and once the new lab under construction in Kochi is commissioned, all the problems will be solved.

The anti-corruption bureau has termed the operation as ‘Operation Tablet’. The officials inspected some retail shops to find out any irregularity and took stock of the situation.

This was the first time the vigilance conducted a raid in all the offices of the DC administration in the state. DVAC will submit a comprehensive report on the state wide raid to the government shortly for further action.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=70622&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

033. Do Not Build Drug Testing Labs So That Culprits Shall Escape.

Meagre allocation of funds by state govt holds up completion of Kochi drug testing lab

By Pharma Biz

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
Thursday, March 21, 2013

The plan to commission the second drug testing laboratory of the Kerala drugs control department, being constructed at Ernakulam, is unlikely to be a reality in the near future owing to paucity of funds for the project. Even the completion of the building work is being held up. 

The state government has allocated only Rs.2 crore in the budget for three proposed drug testing laboratories including the Kochi lab. But, even for the completion of the on-going work at Kochi lab requires a minimum of Rs.6 crore, sources from the health department told Pharmabiz.

The department of drugs control had submitted proposals to the government with a plan outlay for Rs.24 crore for all the three labs. For completing the on-going project of Kochi Lab, it submitted a proposal for Rs.8 crore and to start work for the other two laboratories at Thrissur and at Kozhikodu, two more projects of the same amount were submitted.

Unfortunately, the state government did not accepted any of the proposals putting the upcoming project at Kochi into trouble. Due to scarcity of funds, the work of the lab cannot be completed as expected and commissioning of it was slated for May this year but will be delayed, it is learnt.

“The work of the Kochi laboratory is moving at a snail’s pace. We expected a minimum of Rs.6 crore to complete the work and commissioning of the lab planned in May this year. But government has sanctioned only a meagre amount for this project. This means that work for other two labs is also not able to start this year. The only hope is the diversion of unutilised funds from other departments towards this purpose and we are waiting for that,” said an official close to the department.

Currently, the department has only one drug testing laboratory situated close to the office of the department at Thiruvananthapuram and it has a capacity for testing 4000 samples per year. Whereas, the estimated capacity for the upcoming Kochi lab is 6000 samples. The total number of field staff collection is near about 300 samples per month. Due to lack of modern facilities and shortage of technical staff, all the samples can not be tested on time and delays the result for even one year. By the time, all the substandard or date expired drugs might have been sold out in the market. So, the state needs more drug testing labs with modern machinery in order to strengthen the regulatory mechanism, sources said.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=74398&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz. Com

032. NHRC issues notice to Kerala Health Department for causing eye sight losses.

NHRC issues notice to Kerala Health Department. 

By The Hindu
September 3, 2013

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Department of Health and Family Welfare of Kerala on reports that four persons lost their eyesight allegedly after undergoing cataract surgery in Thrissur Medical College.

A notice in this regard has been issued to the Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Kerala to submit a report on the matter within four weeks, a National Human Rights Commission release issued on Tuesday said.

The notice was issued after the Commission took suo motu cognisance of a media report that four persons, who had undergone cataract surgery in Thrissur Medical College two weeks ago, lost vision in their right eye.

The Commission observed that the press report, if true, raised a serious issue of violation of right to health of the victims.

More than a dozen cataract surgeries were reportedly conducted at the Taluk hospital from July 22 to August 5 this year.

Link: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/nhrc-issues-notice-to-kerala-health-department/article5088855.ece

Republished here by courtesy of The Hindu

Comment: 

Read here soon about the notorious open air eye surgery camps in Kerala, which were convened for mere political popularity, resulting in eye sight loss to hundreds of good citizens, with no compensation payments or punishments.

031. Historic medical compensation of Rs.6 Crores for doctors’ negligence awarded by Supreme Court

1. Record medical negligence compensation: SC orders hospital, doctors to pay Rs 6 crore

Editorial Team
First News
October 24, 2013

The Supreme Court on Thursday awarded Rs.5.96 crore compensation to Kunal Saha, an Indian-American doctor, ordering the Kolkata-based Advance Medicare Research Institute (AMRI) to pay for medical negligence resulting in the death of his wife Anuradha Saha in 1998.

A bench of Justice C.K. Prasad and Justice V. Gopala Gowda passed the order on an appeal by Saha, who had challenged the compensation of Rs.1.72 crore awarded by National Consumer Forum.  Welcoming the verdict, Saha said the ‘historic’ judgement should rekindle hope for countless victims. The US-based NRI said it should tell many honest and caring doctors it is time to step forward and cleanse the system. ‘If you let a few corrupt and politically connected doctors to run the show, all doctors will continue to share the blame and will never be able to restore public trust that we had not so long ago,’ he said in a statement.

The apex court earlier held some of the doctors of the hospital liable for criminal liability. The court directed that the hospital would pay the compensation along with an interest of 6 percent per annum from 1998. The court has asked two doctors – Balram Prakash and Sukamar Mukharjee – to pay Rs.10 lakh each and asked another doctor, Baidyanath Haldar, to pay Rs.5 lakh to Saha.

The tragic story of Anuradha started a month after she reached Kolkata in March 1998 for her summer vacation, when in April, some rashes surfaced on her skin. She consulted Mukharjee who advised her rest. However, rashes resurfaced again in early May with far greater intensity. Mukharjee prescribed her two doses of Depomedrol injection every day. As her condition did not improve, she was admitted to AMRI and subsequently she was shifted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital where she was diagnosed to be suffering from life-threatening disease called toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). At AMRI, Anuradha was treated by Mukharjee. TEN, also known as Lyell’s syndrome, is generally caused by a reaction to drugs and leads to the top layer of skin detaching from the lower layer all over the body. It is a more severe form of Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Anuradha succumbed to her ailment May 28, 1998.

Link: http://health.india.com/news/record-medical-negligence-compensation-sc-orders-hospital-doctors-to-pay-rs-6-crore/

Republished here by courtesy of Health India.Com



2. SC judgement in medical negligence case historic: Saha.

By Health India.Com
October 25, 2013
With inputs from IANS

NRI doctor Kunal Saha, awarded Rs 5.96 crore compensation on Thursday for his wife’s death due to medical negligence, said the judgement should rekindle hope for countless victims. The Supreme Court ordered the Kolkata-based AMRI Hospital to pay the compensation for medical negligence resulting in the death of Saha’s wife, Anuradha, in 1988.

Terming the judgement as historic, Saha said it should tell many honest and caring doctors it is time to step forward and cleanse the system. ‘If you let a few corrupt and politically connected doctors to run the show, all doctors will continue to share the blame and will never be able to restore public trust that we had not so long ago,’ he said in a statement.

Apex court judge Justice V. Gopala Gowda passed the order on an appeal by Saha who had challenged a compensation of Rs.1.72 crore awarded by the National Consumer Forum. Saha lives in the United States. The apex court earlier held some doctors of the hospital liable for criminal liability.

What is medical negligence?

It is the medico legal term used to describe the negligent behaviour of a medical professional. The term medical malpractice is also used when a person providing medical care fails to perform his/her duty to the fullest of their ability and knowledge. This includes providing shoddy medical care, not informing the patient of the risk involved in a procedure, not giving the patient or their family a substantial reason for the death or irreparable harm caused to a patient, prescribing wrong medication, diagnosing a condition incorrectly, disclosing patient information without his/her permission, etc. A patient has a number of rights when it comes to medical care, and one should be well aware of their rights. It is important to remember that it is a medical practitioner’s duty to inform a patient beyond doubt about their condition or procedure.  

Link: http://health.india.com/news/sc-judgement-in-medical-negligence-case-historic-saha/

Republished here by courtesy of Health India.Com


Comments:

Look, it happened even to a doctor.

030. NHRC issues notice to Kerala over infant deaths.

NHRC issues notice to Kerala over infant deaths.

By RxPG NEWS
May 28, 2013  

Via IANS,  New Delhi

The National Human Rights Commission - Tuesday sought a report over the malnutrition deaths of several infants at Attappadi in Kerala.

Citing an editorial in a newspaper, the commission said: The contents of the editorial, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of tribal children and mothers in the Attappadi region. Accordingly, a notice has been issued to the chief secretary, Kerala, calling for a report within six weeks.

NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of an editorial alleging that several infants died due to malnutrition in Attappadi region of Kerala, particularly in Kadambara South, Vellakulam colony and Nellippathy colony, since January, 2012, the commission said.

Quoting Kerala's health department's statistics, the editorial said that recently 23,597 people were screened in 7,565 houses in the three panchayats of Attappadi. Of them, 496 adults, 70 pregnant women and 283 children below the age of 12 were found to be anaemic.

Link: http://www.rxpgnews.com/medicalnews/NHRC-issues-notice-to-Kerala-over-infant-deaths_638884.shtml


Republished here by courtesy of Rx PG News

029. Russian delegation in Kerala to experience pleasures of Ayurvedam!

Russian delegation in Kerala to experience Ayurveda first-hand

By Health India.Com

October 30, 2013 

A six-member Russian delegation, led by Deputy Health Minister Igor Kagramanyan and Sergei Kalashnikov, chairman of the Russian parliamentary committee on health is arriving in the state capital and stay for a week to have a first-hand experience of Ayurveda so that it can be promoted in their country. 

It is visiting under the aegis of NGO Ayurveda Russia-India Association to have talks with Kerala health and tourism ministers and officials. The NGO’s representative told IANS that the delegation would have an exposure to Ayurveda. They would undergo a week-long Ayurveda rejuvenation programme at resorts.

‘The department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, of the central Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is coordinating the visit. They will be taking care of the promotion of Ayurveda at the government level between the two countries,’ said the spokesman. He also said that the biggest beneficiary of meeting between representatives from the two countries would be the numerous resorts that offer Ayurveda packages in the state for Russian tourists.

‘Once this gets the approval, insurance companies in Russia would reimburse Ayurveda packages for them,’ said Narayanan. The visiting delegation is also expected to discuss about having short courses on Ayurveda at Russian universities.

Link: http://health.india.com/news/russian-delegation-in-kerala-to-experience-ayurveda-first-hand/

Republished here by courtesy of Health India. Com


Comment:

Health tourism is developing as a lucrative industry in Kerala, accompanied by prostitution in many resorts in the name of massage, occasional raids and media news. Ayurveda is on the decline in Kerala thanks to negligence of government and also due to pressure from allopathy profession. Due to forest laws and also due to de-forestation and eco-destruction, raw materials for ayurvedic preparations are rarely available now in Kerala, resulting in massive manufacture of bogus preparations. Professionals in the field of ayurvedam know that there is no scope for it in Kerala now, even though it is the only natural and dependable system of medicine advisable for Kerala. Thousands of delegations from all countries have come and gone, spending precious public revenue, and ayurvedam is still to be seen only in Kerala. What is going on even now is a farce. Co-existence of ayurvedam in government allopathic hospitals is condemned by medical bureaucrats and frowned upon by government. With this much number of half-learned physicians and academics practising in Kerala, there is today no need for anyone going to Kerala to study ayurvedam. This is only a publicity stunt for Russian politicians, Indian bureaucrats and a few massage centre owners. If the Russians are really interested in learning something about mingling traditional treatment systems with the modern scientific techniques of allopathy, it is better they visit the People’s Republic of China urgently, where we can see the harmonious co-existence of Acu-Puncture and Allopathy.

028. IAS officers more prone to corruption than regular department heads.

KSDCMSO urges govt to appoint IAS officer to head Kerala drug control dept

By Pharma Biz.Com

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
August 03, 2013 

Kerala state drugs control ministerial staff organisation (KSDCMSO) has urged the government of Kerala to initiate steps to revamp and reorganize the state drugs control department by appointing an IAS officer as director general to head the department.

Raising the demand, the organization leaders submitted a memorandum to the chief minister and to the health minister in which they said either an officer in the cadre of IAS or IPS should be appointed to head the department, over and above the post of drugs controller.

An officer in the union civil service to control the enforcement wing can only prevent the clandestine activities of the drug mafia in the state and strengthen the organization with efficient administrative power, the memorandum said.

The general secretary of KSDCMSO, K A Mohammad Ashraf said that due to the lack of efficient and experienced officers, the department of drugs control could not reach the level and standard of other departments. Though the department of ayurveda is a separate entity under the department, its operations are also monitored by the state drugs controller. He added that the staff organization would reiterate the demand in its next general body which would be held at Thiruvananthapuram shortly.

He said the duties to be carried out by a drug inspector in one month include inspection on application for fresh licenses also. Instead of conducting inspections to check the flow of spurious/ substandard/ not of standard quality drugs, the inspectors are spending their valuable time to certify the area of medical stores for which the Drugs and Cosmetics Act does not stipulate the presence of a person with pharmacy background. The staff organization demands that the duty to calculate the area of a fresh pharmacy can be assigned to a senior officer in the administrative wing of the department so that the drug inspectors can concentrate their time more on inspection work which is now for name-sake only.

The general secretary of KSDCMSO also wanted the government to hand over the power for inspecting shops for licensing fresh retail and wholesale shops to ministerial officials.

Further to their demand, the ministerial staff wanted the government to retain the ayurveda wing under the sole control of the drugs control department because the licensing and conduct of stability test of drugs in the market are coming under the D&C Act. Government should initiate measures to upgrade the existing three regional offices of the ayurvedic wing to the level of assistant drugs control offices under the state drugs controller.

Ashraf said more than 10,000 ayurvedic retail outlets in the state are having no licenses and they should also be brought under licensed category.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=76887&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com


Comment: 

Being a member of the Indian Administrative Service does not necessarily mean he is beyond corruption. It is these IAS officers who are being appointed as Secretaries in Government Departments. Considering the elaborate powers vested with them, no corruption in government would be possible, without their approval, consent or involvement. But corruption continues to happen in spite of these elite officers being there, sitting there with unlimited powers. Beneath the state minister but above everyone else in that department, without their knowledge, no corruption can ever happen. Even state ministers can only take decisions but cannot implement their decisions except through these IAS secretaries. Logically speaking, these IAS personnel are the sole responsible for all corruption in the state. Today, due to media truthfulness and courage, we know that thousands of these officers are accused of and charge-sheeted with corruption, often each case involving millions and millions of rupees. Still, in the history of the Indian Administrative Service, how many of their members were removed from their rolls by them? Many of them are now in jails for corruption. These officers, when posted to a department, directorate or state corporation as its head, will not have any loyalty to that establishment and therefore will be exceptionally bolder and susceptible to corruption. But a long-served officer in that particular department will not be that much bold, for he will have to mind the hierarchical levels in that organization. It is a misled and evilish tendency to cry loudly for posting an IAS officer as department head. They are never better than a loyal department staff.

027. In spite of NRHM, pneumonia continues to kill children.

Pneumonia, diarrhoea leading causes of death among children below five years

By Pharma Biz.Com

New Delhi Bureau
August 22, 2012

In India, pneumonia and diarrhoea are leading causes of death among children below five years of age. As per report “Countdown to 2015”, pneumonia contributes to 11 per cent of deaths and diarrhoea accounts for another 11 per cent of total under-five deaths in India. 

Under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the Government has taken many steps for prevention and control of pneumonia and diarrhoea in children, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Sudip Bandyopadhyay said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha recently. 

One of the important steps was promotion of early and exclusive breast-feeding offers protection against common childhood illnesses including diarrhoea and pneumonia. Infant and young child feeding practices are being promoted through the national health programme.  Vitamin A supplementation programme covers children up to the age of 5 years and offers protection against diarrhoea and pneumonia by improving the immunity and is used as a preventive measure, he said. 

“Promoting use of zinc and ORS is one of the priority activities for child survival. Oral rehydration salt (ORS) packets and zinc tablets are made available free of cost and mothers are taught how to use them.  Awareness is being created amongst mothers on sanitation and hygiene and in the communities about the causes and treatment of diarrhoea through health education. Antibiotics for treatment of pneumonia and dysentery are made available through the public health system,” he said. 

“The community health workers and facility based health service providers are trained in the management of diarrhoea and pneumonia through the Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses (IMNCI) programme across the country. Under universal immunisation programme various vaccines are provided and these are DPT, measles and BCG that protect against diphtheria, pertussis, measles and tuberculosis. Vaccine against Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (Hib) infection has been introduced in the national immunization schedule for infants in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the first phase,” he added.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=70758&sid=2

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

026. Drug alert system a costly futile attempt to eat money

Health ministry plans effective drug alert system, including placing newspaper ads

By Pharma Biz.Com

June 11, 2013 
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

After launching the drug alert system to make the public aware of the drugs declared substandard after the tests in the regional labs, the Union health ministry is planning to make the mechanism more effective by asking all the States to follow the suit and even going for advertisements in the newspapers.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) had launched the system of publicizing through its website the brands and batches of drugs which were found to be substandard in the tests by the regional drug testing laboratories since last November.

It is learnt that the Central authorities have now asked the State drug control units also to follow the same so that the public can come to know of the batches. Maharashtra and Kerala have already similar system in force and the Centre wants other States also to be pro-active in this manner.

Another suggestion under consideration is to place advertisements in the newspapers about such cases regularly so that wider attention could be ensured. Because, by the time some cases were found to be substandard, the damage would have already done and it would take time for the public to be aware about the particular batches.

However, sources said placing advertisements would be an expensive option and needs to get clearance and separate budget. Sources in the Ministry said the feasibility of the option was being studied.

The Parliamentary panel which went into the functioning of the CDSCO had last year raised the issue. Based on its recommendations, the CDSCO had started the system of uploading the information on its website every month. The panel had also urged the CDSCO to advise the retail chemists to stop selling the unsold stocks and return the same to local drug inspectors as per rules.

“The Committee is convinced that this is a Herculean task, which can be achieved only when the efforts of the Centre and State Governments are fully synergized. Drug alerts of evaluations by central drug laboratories though welcome would not take care of this acute problem in entirety as the state drug laboratories handle major volumes of such evaluations. The Committee, therefore, desires the Ministry to take up this matter with State Governments on a highly proactive basis to ensure its early fructification. It also desires early decision by the Ministry on utilizing newspapers in this task,” the Standing Committee on Health has noted in its recent report also.

Meanwhile, the CDSCO had so far declared 53 samples as substandard in the last six months after testing in the regional laboratories. On an average, the drug labs have been reporting around 10 cases as substandard every month out of hundreds of samples collected and sent by various zonal offices of CDSCO.  During the last four months from January this year, the drug testing laboratories reported a total of 43 cases. In January, the number of cases reported as substandard were 12 while it went down to 10 in February and 11 in March. In April, the CDSCO labs reported 10 cases, mostly from the Eastern region.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=75857&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

Comment: 

Who is going to maintain and update these government web sites? If we check, we can see that almost all government web sites remain as such when they were started, i.e., since when that publicity-crazy officer went out of that service or office. In every case, we would be seeing an outdated list of outdated drugs and a substandard site with a few pages on substandard medicines. Why spend this much money for this kind of futile attempts, and who permits them?

025. Government leads to collapse of small drug units in Kerala.

KMSCL’s faulty procurement policy led to collapse of small drug units in Kerala: KIDS study.

By Pharma Biz. Com

October 21, 2013 
Our Bureau, Chennai

An unhealthy and unscientific approach of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL) in procuring and supplying of drugs to government hospitals is the reason behind the collapse of the small scale pharma industries in the state, reveals a study conducted by Kerala Institute of Drug Studies (KIDS).

KIDS, a research institute floated by KMSCL, will submit the study report to the government in next week, it is learnt.

The report says that KMSCL has no standard and scientific method for procuring drugs from companies. Within the last three years about ten small scale pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Kerala have stopped production and downed their shutters for want of support from government. The study says that currently only three companies are working for government supply and they too are struggling.

The institute has conducted the study by employing 480 research associates who had visited almost all the closed units and held interviews with their managements and made the reports. KIDS, later conducted three meetings at three locations inviting all the units and identified their grievances. According to sources, there were 44 SSI units working in the state till a decade ago, and the number has come down to three now.

A major challenge faced by the companies is the rigid tender conditions put forward by the Corporation which unlike what is happening in other states, is giving orders for one time supply. This often becomes a huge burden for the small scale industry to comply with the conditions on time. More often the units have to employ additional laborers with over time work. Quarterly or half yearly orders could be viable for the industrial units to continue and supply quality products, suggests KIDS.

The Institute is conducting another study on the subject ‘quality of medicines marketed in Kerala’. The study will be finished in this Month, said a research associate.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=78279&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz. Com

024. Small medical units forced to close down by medical marketing companies.

Growth in drug marketing cos. force closure of SSI units in Kerala

By Pharma Biz. Com

October 25, 2013 
Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai

The very few small scale pharma manufacturing companies that have survived all these years in Kerala are now set to bear the brunt of the increasing number of marketing companies, with most of the remaining units on the verge of closure.

According to a report given by the president of Kerala Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KPMA), only eleven manufacturing units are now actively operating in Kerala thanks to the indifferent attitude of the state government towards pharma industry problems. Until a few years ago about twenty units were actively operating, but most of them have now turned into marketing business in order to avoid financial loss.

K P Purushothaman, who led a team to the health minister to brief him the problems in the industry, told Pharmabiz that manufacturers wanted to avoid risk in running the units and become marketers of MNC’s products. He said though there is no shortage of drugs of any category, the situation has left the SSI units into a sluggish position. The growth of marketing companies could lead to the closure of about 20 established manufacturing units in the last five years. Those operating units are only working for government supply.

KPMA’s study foresees that over the next two years the number of active units will drop from eleven to five if the current trend continues. Besides, there could be big loss of jobs for many persons including skilled workers and pharmacists due to this growing crisis. In the near future Kerala will become a land of medicine marketing for MNC’s products unless the state government heeds to their demands.

Meanwhile, the marketing companies’ business continues to grow and is predicted to acquire 80 per cent of the total requirement of the state by 2015.  The marketers-turned-manufacturers procure medicines from big players from Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad and distribute them to various retailers.

To name a few currently working SSI units in Kerala are Bescoat Pharma and Camerin Pharmaceuticals in Kannur, Chethana Pharmaceuticals in Malappuram, Variety Medicals at Shoranur, Lab Indus in Palakkadu, Southern Union and Vetas Pharma in Thrissur, Vaisali Pharma and capsulation and tablets in Ernakulam, Sance Pharmaceuticals in Pala, PCT pharma and TC Pharmaceuticals in Thiruvananthapuram. These units have their own branded products and manufacturing facilities.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=78385&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

023. Kerala fears to handover drug racket details to Tamil Nadu.

Action against TN-Kerala drug racket delayed as Kerala fails to provide information to Tamil Nadu Drug Controller.

By Pharma Biz. Com

November 21, 2012
Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai

The departmental action to be initiated by the Tamil Nadu drugs control department against a notorious group dealing in the illicit sale of medicines through the border areas in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala is getting delayed as there is no sharing of required information about the seized products by the drug authorities in Kerala, says G Selvaraju, director of drugs control, Tamil Nadu.

The delay in initiating legal action and further enquiry may help the culprits to escape from the scene, said the director by adding that he has alerted the district authorities in the south to check the movement of drugs in the area and monitor the situation. The flow of drugs to Kerala through the northern border close to Coimbatore is also being monitored.

Whereas, the drug control authorities in Tamil Nadu and Kerala will conduct a joint inspection in the border areas to thoroughly check if any clandestine business is operated through the borders, Selvaraj told Pharmabiz.

“We are waiting for the reports from Kerala DCA to know about the seized products, then only we can take action and conduct enquiry. We need the batch number and the quantity of medicines seized from the places raided. As soon as the news appeared in Pharmabiz, I contacted the DC in Kerala and he confirmed the seizure. The official communication is going on. We will set out action once we get the report from Kerala drugs controller,” said Selvaraj.

According to him the officials in Chennai and in Thirunelveli in south will inspect all the wholesale dealers’ premises to find out who has supplied the drugs to the racket involved in the furtive sale of medicines. “The source of the drugs has to be identified who supplied it or from whom the illegal dealer purchased the medicine, that we are enquiring now,” the DC said.

Meanwhile, the deputy drugs controller who led the operation in the border areas in Kerala, Revi S Menon said his office will pass on the required information to the Tamil Nadu DC soon after one more inspection at the site is completed, probably on Tuesday. He said that he would send a team of officials to Chennai to find out the details of the marketing company who deals in the distribution of Vovemac Plus.

To a query he said the batch number of the seized medicine, Vikram Anticold Tablet is 438 and of Vovemac Plus, the anti-inflammatory drug marketed by Macro Pharmaceuticals in Chennai is UJMC 1032. But, more enquiries are going on as the batch numbers given on the strips are confusing, he added.

He further said, for more enquiries, the department in Kerala needs the help of Tamil Nadu drugs control authorities. “They can only find out how much quantity of drugs the company in Chennai has supplied and what the stock at their premises is. Also we need the information from where the marketing company got the medicine,” Revi Menon said.

Link:http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=72223&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

022. Efficacy of herbal drugs doubted as raw drugs not available in market.

Efficacy of most herbal drugs need to be doubted as several raw drugs not available in market.

By Pharma Biz. Com

July 04, 2012
Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai

The claims about the quality of most of the herbal drugs available today, especially in Ayurveda and Siddha, are questionable because of non-availability of certain key raw drugs and other malpractices impacting the quality of these ingredients, according to a study conducted by a member of the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM).

Adulteration and substitution of raw materials are the two major factors that lead to the poor quality of conventional ayurvedic and Siddha medicines, said Dr K G Viswanathan, the CCIM member and the principal of Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda College in Thrissur in Kerala.

According to him some of the major manufacturing companies have stopped the production of certain key ayurvedic drugs because of shortage of raw drugs. He said the conventional Ayurveda medicine for fever “Draakshaadi Kashaayam” is not available today because the main ingredient of its production, the roots of “Kumizhu” (Gmelina arborea), is not available.

“If the medicine is available anywhere, its quality has to be tested as there is no substitution for its ingredients, especially for “Kumizhu”. The tree itself is not seen anywhere. So we are suspicious of the quality of 'Draakshaadi Kashaayam' if it is available in any shop. The production of the Kashaayam was stopped years ago,” he told Pharmabiz in a telephonic conversation.

There are Draakshaadi tablets and Arishtams coming to Kerala from other states claiming as drugs made from the roots of ‘Kumizhu’, but the veracity of those claims is also questionable, he said.

There are more than 60 species of medicinal plants in the list of endangered species and government has banned their collection for commercial production of medicines. Even for samples for the purpose of study, special permission is required from the forest department. Collection of the plants ‘Kottam’ (Saussurea lappa), used for the manufacture of the popular ‘Kottamchukkaathi Thailam”, ‘Rakthachandanam’ (Red sandalwood) used for “shaarivadyaasavam” and the bark of Ashoka tree (Sarca indica) used for ‘Ashokaarishtam’ is restrained by laws. “In such a situation, the manufacturing companies are forced to stop production of these drugs or use substitutions which will impact the quality of the drugs”, Dr Viswanathan said.  He added that several conventional ‘Kashaayams’ are not available now in the market due to the non-availability of raw materials.

The bark of Ashoka tree is very much beneficial for women who suffer from  irregular or painful menstruation. It is also useful in internal bleeding haemorrhoids and haemorrhagic dysentery, the doctor said.

For industry purpose, sufficient quantity of these raw drugs cannot be assured. In his study report, Dr Viswanathan says that almost all the raw drugs available today seem to be suspicious of their quality. The manufacturers claim that they bring these rare species of plants from north India, but the quality of the products has to be questioned as in the local herbal markets in north India more adulteration and substitutions  take place. These malpractices may be deliberate or sometimes unintentional, but it affects the efficiency of the drugs.  In place of genuine drugs, substitutions are taking place where the raw drugs have similar appearance to that of genuine drugs and are deliberately sold in some herbal markets, the CCIM member alleged.

Further, the study shows that, the recent habitat destruction being occurred due to infrastructure development for urbanization and over exploitation by the increasing number of manufacturers, many of the ‘annual herbs’ and bio diversity spots are permanently getting depleted and destroyed at an alarming rate. The road sides and village court yards in Kerala, once up on a time, were rife with medicinal plants, shrubs and annual herbs like “Kurunthotti” (Sida rhombi folia), Chittamruth (Tinospora cordifolia), Vayalchulli (Hygrophila Auriculata), Keezharnelli (Phyllanthus amarus) etc. are now permanently getting lost.

The doctor said increase in the use of drugs also cause for shortage of raw drugs. In the year 1990, Kerala had only 200 manufacturing units, the number has increased to 700 in 2012. Apart from production of number of medicines, the quantity also has increased. Considering such fast rate of growth of this segment, measures have to be taken for development of medicinal plants.

The study recommends for cultivation of medicinal plants by hi-tech methods with the help of agricultural universities. Besides community herbal garden, kitchen garden, medicinal plant board projects etc. should be encouraged. Coordinated efforts of the departments of Forest, Agriculture and Health must be initiated and opportunities for researches in the field should also be given.

Dr Viswanathan said that he would submit his report to the government of Kerala for Vision 2030 and also to the Central Medicinal Plant Board.

Link:http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=69887&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com