Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat has called for making the functioning of J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) more vibrant and transparent so that it becomes a complete autonomous institution in the years to come. He said JKMSCL has an important mandate of procuring quality medicines and other diagnostic gadgets for the Government health institutions across the State, for which the government will take every possible step to strengthen it.While reviewing the functioning of the Corporation at a high-level meeting held here today, the Minister called upon the MD, JKMSCL and heads of Kashmir based health institutions to maintain close coordination to clear various bottlenecks in ensuring the timely procurement and supply of medicines and diagnostic equipments to the health institutions to make the patient care more efficient on ground. He urged the heads of the institutions to put in timely requisitions for the medicines and equipments and funds to the Corporation enabling it to make purchases accordingly. He urged them to make sufficient gap in the requisition and supply keeping in view the process of procurement viz-a-viz tender and testing in the designated laboratories.
Minister of State for Health & Medical Education, Ms. Asiea Naqash was also present in the meeting.
In order to meet the emergencies regarding urgent requirement of essential drugs by the health institutions, the Minister directed for constituting a Committee of concerned to decide the mechanism for purchasing particular drugs or other life saving diagnostic materials from the market till the Corporation makes permanent arrangements for the requirements. He said patient care is paramount to the Government and it is prerogative of the heads of the institutions to ensure all kinds of life saving drugs and other related articles for the patients. He said every institution is having adequate funds under Hospital Development Funds (HDFs) and they are at their discretion to utilize them for the patient care.While reviewing the status of Free Drug Policy to be made applicable in the government health institutions (from Sub-Centre to District Hospitals) from Ist of June, 2016, the Minister called upon all concerned to take all necessary steps relating to the procurements and sensitizing the doctors and para-medics about the scheme to achieve its objective. Several other issues relating to the betterment of patient care and making the procurement system of medicines, diagnostic equipments and ambulances more transparent and hassle free were also discussed threadbare and several bottlenecks were cleared.
The heads of the institutions put forth their view points and difficulties on the mechanism of procurement of drugs and equipments by the newly set up Corporation and sought clarifications on certain issues which were addressed appropriately.Managing Director, JKMSCL, Dr. Yashpal Sharma gave a detailed account of activities of the Corporation. He said, though the Corporation is at its infancy, yet it has been able to make purchases of medicines strictly as per the requisitions of the heads of the institutions and supplied the first consignment after conducting necessary tests from the country’s leading and designated laboratories. He apprised that entire procurement process is being followed in a total transparent manner through e-tendering with special focus on quality control. He requested the Heads of the Departments to put in their timely and specific requirements so that the same are made available to them within the stipulated time schedule.Secretary Health & Medical Education, Dr. M.K. Bhandari, Principals of Govt Medical and Dental Colleges, Srinagar, Principal Government Medical College, Srinagar, Director Family Welfare, Mission Director, NHM, Director Health Services, Kashmir, Controller Drugs & Food Control Organization, J&K, Director Finance, Health & Medical Education and Medical Superintendents of various health institutions were present in the meeting.