In an attempt to revamp and streamline the Department of Tamil Nadu ISM and its operations, the state health department has appointed a new director for the department. The Directorate of Indian System of Medicines was controlled by a commissioner who was on leave for the last three months.

The principal health secretary of the state, V K Subburaju said the present collector of Tiruvarur district, M Chandrasekaran is the new Director for Ayush directorate in Tamil Nadu. He said the former commissioner of ISM, Rakesh Khanna has been transferred to energy department.

When asked whether any measures have been taken to solve the critical shortage of medicines in Ayush hospitals, Subburaju said steps have been taken and the situation is improving.

Later while speaking to Pharmabiz over telephone, the Tiruvarur collector Chandrasekaran said he would take over charge on 24th of this month. When information about the present crisis of the department and pathetic situations of the hospitals was passed on to him, he said he will take steps to improve it.

The Ayush hospitals in Tamil Nadu are reeling under severe shortage of drugs and staff. The senior officers in the department are even afraid to divulge any information to media because of fear of transfer. When Pharmabiz has brought news about the predicament to the attention of the principal health secretary, he initiated some measures which brought some relief to the struggling sector. The health secretary’s involvement in the matter has paved the way for appointing a new HoD.

According to people in the ISM industry, the former commissioner and his office staffs were not friendly with the industry and the situation had caused so many sufferings to them. Besides, the supply of medicines to the hospitals by the government owned company, Tamil Nadu Medicinal Plant Farms and Herbal Medicine Corporation Limited, (Tampcol) also came to a standstill. The health secretary’s intervention in the matter has saved the hospitals from the grave situation.

For the last three months, the ISM directorate has no HoD as the commissioner has gone on leave and the charge was with the health secretary himself.