Keen to strengthen the regulatory mechanism of the Centre and state drug regulatory bodies as per the current requirements, CDSCO has urged the health ministry to release funds allocated under the 12th Five-Year Plan at the earliest. The planning commission, under the 12th Five-Year Plan had allocated an amount of Rs. 1600 crore for upgradation of the regulatory agencies, which is yet to be released by the government.
The proposed financial outlay is understood to be utilized for manpower augmentation, creation and upgradation of labs, setting up of new offices of drugs regulatory control, strengthening pharmacovigilance and creating awareness among people both care givers and receivers regarding safe drugs both at the Centre and in the states. The funds will also be utilized for providing financial and human resource support to the states, as under the Centrally sponsored scheme.
Industry insiders however pointed out that the funds are still stuck in bureaucratic logjam, which is leading to lot of confusion and developmental delays in its wake. It is understood that to meet the growing demands, there is an urgent need to focus on developing the inadequate or weak drug control infrastructure, testing facilities, IT services and manpower at both the state and central level.
Dr G N Singh, drug controller general of India (DCGI) informed that considering the necessity of this funds, his office has been in touch with the health ministry on this issue. “Keeping in view the recommendations of various committees and reports and based on our current requirements, it is important that the government takes requisite steps to release the funds for infrastructural development, both physical and human resource, at the Centre as well as in the states. Going by our commitment to ensure that no compromise is done with the health of the patients in the country, we have been pushing for this case with the government, persistently. In fact, in a recent meeting with them we had impressed upon the need to hasten the process as strengthening of drugs regulatory mechanisms is one of the major public health interventions,” he stressed.
Dr Singh further added that taking cognizance of the issue, government has assured to hasten the process and has given positive feelers that they may clear the funds in a span of six months.