SHILLONG: Meghalaya government was quick to announce the free drug policy but now the department is facing several financial and logistical problems even before implementing the policy.
Health and Family Welfare Minister, AL Hek informed that the health department needs huge capital to implement the free drug policy
Stating that the Chief Minister had doubled the budget for the health sector, he, however added that the funds earmarked for the department would not sufficient to implement the policy.
The department needs not less than Rs 100 crore to implement the policy and the government is set to implement it from the next financial year.
Under the policy, 72 essential drugs will be provided to the patients free of cost on a 24X7 basis in all government hospitals.
Hek, however, lamented that the problem is not only the 72 items but it also involves transportation and storage facilities even as he admitted that many PHCs in the states do not have a proper storage facility.
Another problem is that there are only two trucks that are transporting the medicines to all the districts and to ensure that the policy is implemented without any hurdles, the department requires more capital.
He informed that the state government has instructed all the concerned departments to put all the requirements in place before the state government implements the free drug policy.
When asked if the government would approach the Centre for additional financial assistance, he said the government is yet to seek any central help as the department it is trying to work out the funds from the state itself.
The policy has been adopted in line with the free drug policy launched by the Centre.
The funding pattern will be on 90:10 basis under the National Health Mission.
