MPs to get medicines home-delivered

New Delhi, Mar 3: Members of Parliament, who have been complaining about the dearth of medicines in the CGHS dispensaries, can now hope to get them home-delivered.

Replying to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said the government was actively considering the proposal to deliver the medicines to MPs at their residences.

Dr Ramadoss' reply drew an instant approval from the members of the House.

The Health Minister also shared the concern of some members who said that sub-standard and spurious medicines were being provided at a number of Central Government Health Services (CGHS) dispensaries.

Terming the problem as a ''serious issue'', he said the government had initiated several measures to deal with it.

Dr Ramadoss said the government had decided to set up a National Drug Control Authority (NDCA), the building for which would come up at a cost of Rs 12 crore.

Further, the World Bank had provided a grant of Rs 356 crore for setting up drug testing laboratories at both the Centre and state levels.

Stringent punishment, including a fine of Rs 10 lakh and life sentence, has been provied for the drug adulterators.

''We have also accepted the Mashelkar Committee Report which, inter alia, calls for setting up separate facilities for drug testing,'' he said.

The government had also prepared a list of high-quality drugs which would be made avialable at the CGHS dispensaries, the minister said.

UNI