MUMBAI: Prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on needy patients, the state health ministry has once again floated a plan for a separate corporation (Mahamandal) to oversee procurement of medicines and medical devices.
The corporation’s job would be to purchase, store and distribute drugs and devices to various public health organisations, from primary health centres to district hospitals.
This was announced by health minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday, during a videoconference meet with divisional commissioners and senior health officials, to take stock of Covid cases. Tope directed officials to make a comparative study of medical procurement systems in other states, such as Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
A health department official said that at present, the state health department procures medicines and devices through the Haffkine Bio-pharmaceuticals Private Limited. However, there have been many complaints about delays in supply of the medicines, leading to poorer patients in rural areas suffering or forcing them to spend out of their own pocket.
The corporation’s job would be to purchase, store and distribute drugs and devices to various public health organisations, from primary health centres to district hospitals.
This was announced by health minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday, during a videoconference meet with divisional commissioners and senior health officials, to take stock of Covid cases. Tope directed officials to make a comparative study of medical procurement systems in other states, such as Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
A health department official said that at present, the state health department procures medicines and devices through the Haffkine Bio-pharmaceuticals Private Limited. However, there have been many complaints about delays in supply of the medicines, leading to poorer patients in rural areas suffering or forcing them to spend out of their own pocket.
