Karnataka Drug Logistics & Warehousing Society (KDLWS) has commissioned its 11 warehouses in 14 districts of the state under the Reform and Re-organisation of the Drugs Management System in the Health and Family Welfare Services Department through the Government of India. European Commission assisted Logistic and Warehousing Project for the first phase.

The districts are Gulbarga, Bijapur, Shimoga, Mangalore, Mysore, Belgaum, Bellary, Raichur, Dharwad, Davangere, Kolar, Tumkur, Hassan and Bangalore. The warehouses are fully equipped with cold storage, cold chain carrier, storage racks and hydraulic lift. The warehouses with storage area ranging from 3,500 to 5,000 sq. ft. in 14 districts was designed to serve two neighbouring districts apart from computerisation of the drugs procurement and distribution system.

Early this week, KDLWS has proposed to the government of Karnataka's health and family welfare its intention of opening retail outlets with an aim to provide life-saving drugs at competitive prices. Another request made was for a drug-testing lab at Belgaum besides the existing one at the drugs control department in Bangalore. "The district has the required infrastructure to institute such a lab in Belgaum which we hope the government would sanction soon," said Mohammed Sanaulla, health commissioner who is also the chairman of KDLWS stated at a workshop organised by the Karnataka Drugs Control Department Enforcement Officers Association and KDLWS.

The health commissioner put forth the need of retail outlets, which could be opened, at the warehouses if the drugs control department permits it. "The main aim of the KDLWS is that people should get quality drugs at a competitive price. Several substandard drugs are in circulation but the KDLWS is constrained over the limited machinery," he said. Delving on the issue of drug prices, the health commissioner stated that the health department itself was puzzled over the pricing systems.

Representing the customs & excise department, DP Nagendra Kumar, additional commissioner, said that all the necessary data concerning the assessors, the drug manufacturers and the excise duty exemption are available for clarification. "There are only minimal tax incentives and that too products specific on life saving and anti cancer drugs. We will categorise then and give the list to the drugs control department," he said.

The workshop comprised paper presentation pertaining to drugs and cosmetic manufacturing, application of taxation laws in the pharmaceutical field and implementation of VAT.