The Hindu : Kerala News : Confusion reigns over drug supply

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Monday, Mar 31, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala

Confusion reigns over drug supply

C. Maya

KMSCL to take over District Medical Stores on April 1

DMSs supply drugs to all public health centres
KMSCL plans to computerise drug distribution

Thiruvananthapuram: The government’s decision to hand over the District Medical Stores (DMS) to the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd. (KMSCL) has created much confusion among the district health administrations regarding the storage and distribution of drugs.

The DMSs, which are responsible for the storage and distribution of drugs to all public sector health care institutions in each district, are being taken over by the Corporation from April 1. It is pointed out that the government has not yet come out with a clear directive on the arrangement for drug distribution to these institutions.

The KMSCL is the new company floated by the government to streamline medicine purchase and distribution system in the State, after it was decided to do away with the Central Purchase Committee (CPC) system. The company will purchase drugs directly from manufacturers through the tender system. The tenders for the purchase of drugs for the current year have already been awarded to various firms. While none is in disagreement with the new system of purchase, many have questioned the rationale for doing away with the current drug distribution system. The DMSs were set up in 1950s. In Thiruvananthapuram, for example, all 118 health care institutions, from primary health centres to district and general hospitals, are supplied drugs every quarterly from the DMS.

“We do not know how we are expected to distribute drugs to institutions, once we hand over our storage area to KMSCL. We have already placed our annual indent for drugs required for the district, but there is no clear decision yet as to what will be the drug distribution system,” according to a district health official.

Managing Director of KMSCL Dinesh Arora said that the DMSs would become the Corporation’s warehouses and that the drug distribution system would be directly monitored by KMSCL.

“We are installing a new software. The drug distribution network across the State will now be computerised. All institutions up to the level of PHCs will be linked to the system. Every institution will have a pass book in which the uptake of drugs will be entered and which will be monitored strictly.

The institutions can directly collect drugs from the warehouse using the pass book. The petrol expenses will be reimbursed by KMSCL. We can even think of hiring a contractor to supply drugs to institutions. No final decision has been taken,” Arora said.

He said that all the employees now working in the DMS will be re-designated to peripheral institutions in the districts.

“The pharmacists and assistant pharmacists in KMSCL warehouse will be newly appointed because we will like to start with people who are proficient in computers,” Dr. Arora said. He added that final purchase order list for the drugs will be issued on Monday. Supply of drugs is expected to start by April 15.

Protests

Meanwhile, the government pharmacists have expressed their strong protest over the decision to let the KMSCL take over the District Medical Stores.

“We have no issues regarding the new purchase system for drugs, but the government should explain why it is dislocating the existing distribution network,” a pharmacist said.

Pharmacists under the banner of Kerala Government Pharmacists’ Association, is observing ‘black day’ on Monday in protest. All government pharmacists will stop drug distribution for an hour on Monday as part of their protest.

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