Expired Medicines Worth Rs 10 crore to be Disposed – Minister U T Khader
Mangaluru: Health minister U T Khader held a press meet at the Circuit House here, on June 13.
Addressing the mediapersons, Minister Khader said that during the monsoons, there are always chances of the spread of diseases like dengue, malaria and brain fever, but the Health Department has taken necessary preventive measures. In DK district, prior to the monsoons, a number of cases of dengue and malaria were been reported in Puttur and Sullia due to the stagnant water in farms and other places. Health officers from the Taluk along with the doctors from the Primary Health centres have taken measures to prevent such diseases from spreading. All support has been given to the doctors in this regard.
He further said that this year, dengue has spread in the entire state. The Health and Family Welfare department observed May 16 as National Dengue Day to bring awareness to the people about dengue fever and the preventive measures to be taken against it.
He also said that in order to prevent malaria in the district, measures have been taken with the help of Mangaluru City Corporation. Blood test for labourers in construction sites will be conducted and if found positive, they will be treated immediately. Using Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Kits, RDK tests will be done in all the construction sites at 6 am. Swachatha Saptaha (Cleanliness week) will also be observed in the district.
In the state, nearly Rs 10 crore worth of expired and discarded medicines will be disposed of. All the pharmacists should inform officials about expired drugs in the district warehouse three months prior and hand over the drugs. The collected expired drugs will be sent to the concerned officials who will sort out the drugs and write to the respective company to replace it. If the company will not replace the drugs, the Health department will deduct the amount from the company for replacement of the same. The drugs will not be returned since there are chances that the company might change the expiry date and resell them. From 2000 to 2013, there was no policy to destroy expired drugs so such drugs have been stored in the warehouse from the past 13 years. At present, expired drugs worth Rs 10 crore have to be destroyed.
“The drug disposal policy was discussed in July 2015, and based on the policy we will destroy the drugs with the help of a representative from the Karnataka State Drugs Logistics and Warehousing Society. Under the policy, we will take the drugs to a remote area and dispose of them. We will also call for tender; once the tender process is complete, we will destroy expired medicines in the entire state. It will cost Rs 1 crore to dispose of the expired drugs and the expenses will be borne by the Health ministry.
