SC orders execution of Drugs Policy Act

The Supreme Court order calling for the implementation of the National Drugs Policy Act with immediate effect should gain the urgent attention of the Legal Draftsman's Department as it has failed to study the final draft bill sent to it with the amendments suggested by it about a year ago and return it to the ministry with its observations, said the Health Ministry in a press release yesterday.

The Ministry media officer W.M.D. Wanninayake stated, the Supreme Court which heard two petitions submitted by two patients, ordered the Health Minister and the ministry to implement the National Drugs Act immediately to prevent inconvenience to the public due to the heavy cost of drugs.

The release said even though sections of the media had been critical of the ministry for the delay in implementing the proposed Act, the Health Ministry drafted the National Drugs Policy Act nearly a year ago to eliminate the monopoly enjoyed by drug firms in the supply of medicinal drugs.

The ministry after including the amendments proposed by the Legal Draftsman's Department sent it back to the Department for clearance of the final bill, but the Department has failed to return it to the ministry with its observations to date, even though almost a year has elapsed.

The ministry emphasises there is no delay on its part to implement the proposed Act. The release said no sooner the Legal Draftsman's Department sent back the final draft bill the ministry would implement it after gaining Cabinet and Parliamentary approval.