The Punjab assembly on Thursday handed a resolution recommending the state authorities to ask the Centre to put a cease on the “looting” of individuals by exorbitantly priced medicines.
IMAGE: A view of Punjab assembly. Photograph: ANI Photo
Raising the matter within the ongoing funds session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, some members urged capping of revenue margins on medicines, whereas many others, primarily from opposition, demanded strengthening of the federal government well being sector within the state.
As he moved the resolution within the House, Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Chamkaur Sahib, Dr Charanjit Singh, mentioned exorbitant charges of medicines was robbing folks of their cash forcing many individuals to promote their properties to afford costly medicines.
Not solely chemists, however a number of recognized non-public hospitals are promoting medicines at greater costs than MRP, mentioned Singh, including that the matter was not peculiar to Punjab, however afflicts the entire nation.
He mentioned authorities docs weren’t recommending generic medicines, and urged the federal government to make it incumbent on them to prescribe generic medicines to sufferers.
He additional mentioned it also needs to be made necessary that solely salt of medicines ought to be prescribed with none point out of a drug firm.
Having mentioned this, the lawmaker sought from the Centre to body a concrete coverage on this regard to test the malpractice.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira mentioned “Private sector well being sector is fleecing folks like something.”
People particularly in rural areas had been being financially burdened due to costly healthcare providers, which is changing into out of attain of a standard man, he mentioned, as he demanded regulation of the non-public healthcare sector.
Cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer urged that the revenue margin on medicines ought to be capped.
He mentioned that costly medical training was additionally one of many causes for the costly medical remedy and urged that there ought to be a coverage below which some share of medical seats in authorities schools ought to be both freed from cost or provided at a low price.
It is not going to solely assist poor college students to research medical training however may also clear up the issue of scarcity of presidency docs in well being services, he added.
Participating within the dialogue, Punjab well being minister Dr Balbir Singh accused the e-pharmacy sector of indulging in malpractice, and urged the Union Health minister to regulate it.
He mentioned there are 25 ‘jan aushadhi’ centres within the state and approval for opening of 16 extra such centres has been given.
The minister urged the MLAs to permit opening of extra such centres of their respective constituencies.
He additional mentioned the AAP authorities was making efforts to present world-class well being care providers to folks of the state.
He mentioned out of 500 Aam Aadmi clinics, 70 per cent had been opened in rural areas of the state.
