No drug shortage in Kerala, arrangements made to ensure availability: Health Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: State Health Minister Veena George said special arrangements have been made to ensure the availability of drugs in all Government hospitals and Government Medical College Hospitals. She was responding to a submission by Opposition leader V D Satheeshan about the drug crisis during the State Assembly session on Wednesday.

She said the propaganda that there is a shortage of drugs is baseless. The medicines would be moved from places with ample stock to hospitals with shortage. Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL) has been directed to make necessary interventions to ensure drug availability. 

Special nodal officers have been appointed in the Directorate of Health and the Directorate of Medical Education for the coordination and intervention in drug distribution. In the districts, Deputy District Medical Officers and in the Medical Colleges, Resident Medical Officers (RMO) have been entrusted with the task of monitoring drug availability.

In the hospitals where certain medicines like paracetamol, and some syrups, were used way above the intended stock, the drugs would be moved from drug stock centres and made available in two days.

From the next year onwards, a calendar would be prepared and maintained to make the drug procurement and distribution process more efficient. The hospitals have been told not to wait till they exhaust their stock of medicines to request a replenishment. A system would be effected to procure medicines once a certain percentage of the drug stock is exhausted.

There has been a rise in the number of people being bitten by dogs and cats, of late. With the significant increase in the need for anti-rabies vaccines in this context, the required vaccine would be made available in hospitals. As the stray dog menace has become severe, the officials with the departments of Health, Local administration and Animal husbandry are to put their heads together and initiate action.