Had Robert .L. Park witnessed the recent uprising in Kashmir against spurious drugs which brought people from all walks of life on streets in Srinagar, he would probably have discovered another event to add to his book of voodoo science.
Now that with passage of time spurious drug scam is settling down and govt lately has handed over the case to vigilance and crime departments for further investigations, but it will be unwise if we leave the issue midway without analysing the matter in search of a larger truth. It should be rationalized facts based on scientific studies that should carry us forward and not a rabble rouser or a demagogue who will eventually mislead us by playing in the hands of certain vested elements who want to keep the Pirpanjal corridor open for a vast spurious drugs market operational in valley beyond govt hospitals. It should not be the common people who shall become victims of accusations and counter accusations of a war of attrition between the two groups, who may be actually fighting to safeguard their personal interests and are least bothered about general public. Those who are roaring may be actually safeguarding their pound of flesh by managing the common man to his side. The issue is much deeper than how people read it. So a balanced view on the subject is necessary so that people at large are actual beneficiaries and not few groups.
There is also not an iota of doubt that tendering system in the country is itself so spurious that it permits hiring and purchases of under quality products at overestimated and exuberant prices, with almost seventy percent of price going as commissions or kickbacks from a clerk to top officials and politicians in any department across the country. Tendering actually means to obtain the lowest possible purchase price for high quality products, and ensure suppliers reliability in terms of both quality and service. Unfortunately the practice in our set up is opposite to it. Innumerable scams of yesteryears and of present are testimony of the fact. Indias pharmaceutical industry is worlds third largest in terms of volume and 14th in terms of value. The total turn over is around 25 billion US dollars with more than 20,000 companies competing in various therapeutic segments. If a report on country wide spurious drugs published by CDSCO (central drugs standard control organization ) on behalf of Directorate General of health services Govt of India is to be believed the lately survey of 2008 reveals that of the 38313 drugs tested across the country 67 were spurious and 2402 were substandard. These figures reflect that spurious drugs are present across India and not confined to one region. Many states have woken up to address this problem and Tamil Nadu is considered as one of the proficient states that is providing health care in public sector at much cheaper rates.
Govt of J&K is intending to set up J&K medical services corporation on the pattern of Tamil Nadu, an autonomous body which will regulate the supply of medicines and equipments to the govt hospitals. Tamil Nadu model has been proved as an efficient model in the country which has managed procurement of quality drugs and gadgets at much reasonable and affordable prices which has not only modernized its hospitals but made patient care in govt hospitals effective and attractive. Secondly the govt is mulling to bring in an effective drug policy that is going to benefit common people at large. So the recent agitation on roads could be handiwork of some elements clandestinely supporting the movement so that effective drug policy in J&K fails. Drug racket in state is not new, not only govt hospitals are supplied by substandard drugs from last five decades but even the markets are flooded with humongous quantity of these drugs which are prescribed in private as well as govt sectors with some mutual understanding of reciprocating favours. Overprescribing and target specific prescriptions have become routine of medical practice now. Trips outside, long cars, and gifts will be lost to a very good drug policy if the state govt is sincerely thinking of bringing it in. The agitating leaders on roads if sincere to people should not have only attacked the govt but their own conscience too. We know very good policies like NRHM have benefitted poor patients and achieved good objectives. Govt does provide free medicines and free surgeries to these patients besides monetary support and good diet. Now in some hospital if a particular administrator misuses his position and embezzles these funds, it can not obfuscate the shining side of a policy or scheme and prove it wrong. It is a candid acknowledgement as well that many hospital administrators misuse hospital funds and of other schemes along with their linchpin elements. It is they who bring disrepute to otherwise very good govt schemes that have helped in eradication of very dreadful diseases of past and are combating the diseases of present. Such administrators should be identified, blacklisted and punished. So some hedonistic doctors should not shame the whole community. We should stop using our people as shields and high jacking the issue that can otherwise revolutionize health if regulated properly. No doubt that guilty need to be punished but It will be preposterous for the people not to support the bigger cause. Administrative posts in health should be made competitive and awarded on performance so that we get people at the helm of affairs who ensure peoples health rather than taking away their health.
The way present agitation was handled, it will have negative repercussions on patient doctor relationship as well. The patient will be more sceptical about doctors prescriptions even if he has been prescribed the best, a routine complication will also now be attributed to the spurious drug even if he has been given the most genuine one.
The fight should not end with a defeat that we the people become fifth columnists allowing the victory of enemies who want to keep Kashmir open to much larger spurious drug market operating via many channels than the govt, that will prove extremely diabolical. Let our demarche be for constructive health care which serves the majority of poor and downtrodden, who are ignorant about quality and quantity, but trust their leaders and doctors. Lets pledge not to befool them any more. Hope we will not be dragged to support a conspiracy theory of powerful hidden force who actually want the spurious drug market in Kashmir to survive, we should rather stand united to help it perish. Govt will also have to wake up to ensure supply of quality medicine at all levels of services by modernizing and strengthening the drug controller department besides ensuring transparency in procurements through an autonomous body.
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