Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, Judge, High Court of J&K, on Saturday inaugurated sensitization program on Drugs and Cosmetics Act with the aim to strengthen the Judicial and Administrative Institutions.The 2-day sensitization program is being organized by the J&K State Judicial Academy (J&KSJA) to improve necessary skills and efficiency of all stakeholders of Justice Delivery System.The function was also attended by Justice (Retd) Hasnain Massodi, Abdul Rashid Malik, Director, J&K State Judicial Academy, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Principal Secretary of Health and Medical Education Department (Commissioner Food Safety) and R. S. Thakur (Retd) Assistant Controller Drugs.While inaugurating the program, Justice Magrey gave an overview of the sensitization programme and said that the Sensitization Programme intends to provide the relevant and practical insights about food safety, standards, food safety management systems and related legal provisions under both the Acts. He said after the sensitization programme, participants would attain a uniform pattern of effective compliance of Food Safety and Standards Act and Drugs and Cosmetics Act across the state by getting a detailed knowledge regarding the parameters and guidelines under the Acts.
He added that the presence of the Judicial Officers in this programme will further enhance its scope and importance as the presence of all stakeholders makes the deliberations inclusive and purposeful.Justice Magrey said that the implementation of the Act must be expedited and concerned authorities should be well equipped with all mechanism to ensure the implementation of the Act, so that the food adulteration does not take place in the market.Pawan Kotwal while speaking on the occasion highlighted the increasing use of the preservatives, colouring agents and other related food ingredients that are posing high risk to the health of general public, which needs to be curbed immediately. He stressed that a roadmap should be formed to curb this growing menace of food adulteration and spurious drugs.Justice (Retd) Hasnain Massodi, deliberated upon the importance of the implementation of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act. He emphasized that it is the duty of the State to take care of the health of society because it is the question of life and death He said the role of participant officers is very crucial to keep vigil on the quality of drugs in the society.
He also said that globally, every country is the victim of substandard or spurious drugs, which results in life threatening issues, financial loss of consumer and manufacturer and loss in trust on health system.
On the Occasion, Director J&KSJA, Abdul Rasheed Malik in his introductory remarks said that right to health is a fundamental right of people and has been recognized in the constitution, statutory as well as in the international laws.He said as medicines are life saving entities and thus are more essential for the life. The problem of poor quality is already very serious and steadily growing. He also added that the role of Drug Control Department and its Officers is very critical to check the menace of misbranded, spurious and adulterated drugs. Director said that the manufacturing of spurious drugs and substandard quality drug products is a fraudulent activity and its availability in the market is the life-threatening issue for the public health that needs to be checked.On the occasion, resource person R.S Thakur deliberated upon the overview and salient features of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945 through a detailed PowerPoint presentation.