Measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of life saving medicines

• Under the National Health Mission (NHM), financial support is provided to the states/UTs for strengthening their healthcare delivery system.

• It includes support for provision of free essential medicines in public health facilities based on the requirements in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overall resource envelope. 

• Under the Free Drugs Service Initiative, the Health Ministry has recommended facility wise Essential Drugs List (EDL) to be made available at the public healthcare facilities in the country to ensure widespread access to essential medicines.

• The ministry has adopted a multi-layered monitoring approach to identify and address gaps in procurement, supply chain, and stock management. 

• Many states have adopted digital platforms like Drugs and Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS) to track procurement, consumption, and replenishment of the drugs. 

• Field visits by senior officials of the Union government as well as state government also monitor the availability and utilisation of these services.

Fixing of price limits for life saving medicines

• National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under Department of Pharmaceuticals fixes the ceiling prices of scheduled drugs as listed in Schedule-I of Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013 which is based on the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) published by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

• No manufacturer (whether generic or branded) of scheduled medicines can sell such drugs above the ceiling price (plus applicable Goods and Service Tax) fixed by the NPPA whether in urban or rural areas. 

• As per the provisions of DPCO, 2013, ceiling prices of scheduled formulations are revised every year as per annual Wholesale Price Index (WPI) (all commodities) for preceding calendar year on or before April 1 of every year, which is notified by the government on April 1 every year. 

• In case of non-scheduled formulation, manufacturers are required not to increase MRP by more than 10 per cent of the MRP during the preceding 12 months.

Support for treatment of 63 identified rare diseases

• Many of the drugs required for the treatment of rare diseases are expensive as they are imported from outside the country. 

• National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021 facilitates financial and medical support of up to Rs 50 Lakh per patient for treatment of any of the 63 identified rare diseases through 15 designated Centres of Excellence.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)