Federal ombudsman forms committee to identify reasons

Islamabad

To identify the reasons for ineffective implementation of Essential Drug Scheme (EDS) and non-availability of lifesaving drugs, Federal Ombudsman Salman Faruqui has constituted a 13-member high-level committee headed by former Surgeon General of Pakistan Army Lieutenant General (r) Mahmood Ahmad Akhtar.

The committee will study the current situation of the essential drugs in public and private sector besides suggesting the mechanism for implementation of Essential Drug Scheme. It will also recommend measures to address the issue relating to availability of life saving drugs having high standards in terms of quality and safety at affordable prices. Senior Advisor Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat Jaweed Akhtar will be the Secretary of the committee.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), essential drugs are those that satisfy the needs of the most of the population and should be available to most of the population in adequate dosage form. To implement this scheme, Government of Pakistan formulated National Drug Policy and National Health Policy in year 1996 and 1997 respectively. One of the main objectives of these policies was to develop and promote the concept of essential drugs.

Pakistan has developed its essential drugs list comprising approximately 480 drugs and had published the same in year 2014 but due to inaction on the part of relevant institutions, the benefits of essential drugs have not passed on to the poor patients who constitute the major segment of our ailing society.

It is pertinent to mention here that about 50 per cent of the Pakistan population does not have access to essential drugs and main objectives of these policies remain to be implemented due to lack of interest of stakeholders.

Federal Ombudsman’s office is of the view that essential drugs scheme should be implemented to rationalise the list of registered drugs imported and locally manufactured with a view to restrict the number of drugs which are safe, effective and high quality of drugs at affordable prices and meet the major health requirements of a larger population of the country. The committee, after its meetings will submit its report to the Wafaqi Mohtasib in due course of time.

Other members of the committee included; Prof. Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Lehri, President, Pakistan Medical Dental Council, Prof. Khawaja Sadiq Hussain, former Principal King Edward Medical College Lahore and President of College of Physician and Surgeons of Pakistan, Maj. Gen (r) Zaheer ud Din, former Director General (Medicine) Pakistan Army and Principal Army Medical College, Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, former Federal Secretary, Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, Islamabad, Dr. Inam ul Haq, former Drug Controller and Chairman Quality Control Authority and Dean and Director Riphah Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Muhammad Aslam, CEO Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, Brig. (r) Dr. A.A. Najmi, Prof. Fauji Foundation Medical College, Rawalpindi,. Yasin Malik, CEO Hilton Pharma Pvt Ltd, Karachi, Khalid Mehmood, Chairman Getz Forma, Muhammad Zakar, Managing Director Schazoo Laboratories Ltd, Salman Burney, former Chairman Glaxos, Laboratories and Asif Aziz Akhai, Senior Vice Chairman.