KATHMANDU, Nov 4 : Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has decided to form a task force to prevent crisis of medicines amid the ongoing economic blockade imposed by India on Nepal, which has already resulted in acute shortage of essential items.
Officials at the MoHP informed that they have been working to form a high level task force that includes representatives of drug suppliers and the government officials.
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"We have decided to form a high level task force under the leadership of the director general (DG) of the Department of Drug Administration (DDA)," Shanta Bahadur Shrestha, secretary at the MoHP, said. He informed that the stock of medicines found in the drug stores across the country is sufficient only for the next two months.
Health facilities across the country have already started complaining about the shortage of essential drugs, according to Shrestha.
"We urge hospitals to use generic medicines and not depend on the medicines of particular brands," Bal Krishna Khakurel, director general at the DDA said. He said that most hospitals use drugs manufactured by specific companies, but such drugs might not be available at the time of crisis. The DDA suggested that prescribing medicines of brands other than the ones hospitals normally prescribe might ease the situation.
He informed that the DDA is aware about the dwindling stock of medicines across the country and that it has been working to prevent possible crisis.
