Independent Authority to implement National Drugs Policy

BY BHARATHA Malawaraarachchi

AN Independent Drugs Authority(IDA) will be created shortly to carry forward the implementation of the National Drugs Policy.

"Legislations for the setting up of the IDA will be presented to Parliament within the next three months," a Ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday.

He said draft laws in this regard have already been prepared in line with the vision of the late Prof. Senaka Bibile who pioneered the formulation of a national drugs policy and are now receiving final touches.

According to the spokesman the proposed national policy mainly seeks to ensure that the public could purchase quality and safe drugs at a reasonable price.

"It aims to relive the people from the existing monopoly and ensure a competition between the public and private sector to enable the public to purchase the best product at a reasonable price," he added.

Earlier, Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva issued instructions for expediting the implementation of the National Drugs Policy (NDP) and ordered the Ministry officials to complete the preparation of the draft legislation on the IDA before January 1.

The National Drugs Policy was formulated by a 50-member special committee who are professionals in the field of drugs and pharmaceuticals.

According to the spokesman the policy seeks to provide six main benefits to the public.

"It will ensure abundant availability of safe and good quality essential pharamceuticals at reasonable prices and this would enable the people to purchase drugs at a stable price from every part of the country," he added.

The policy also seeks to provide a better understanding to the people.

"It will enable the public to obtain correct and factual information about drugs and to free from the shackles of the large-scale drug manufacturers."

According to him the policy would lay much emphasis on encouraging the local drugs and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

"It will pay priority to enable the Health Ministry to distribute drugs to every part of the country depending on the requirements."

The spokesman said this policy framework was prepared on the instructions of the World Health Organisation in order to provide greater benefits to the public.

Recently, the Ministry requested professionals and the public to send in their views on this proposed Act.

He explained that there was a tremendous response and many positive comments and constructive criticism from them.

"Specially, the response of civil organisations have been very positive," he added.

He noted that although arrangements were made to present a National Policy on Drugs and Pharmaceuticals in 1992 and 2000, the process has been delayed due to various reasons.