WHO/ UNICEF Technical briefing seminar on Essential Medicines Policies Salle G, WHO/HQ, Geneva, Switzerland 19- 23 Sept

1. WHO/ UNICEF Technical briefing seminar on Essential Medicines Policies Salle G, WHO/HQ, Geneva, Switzerland 19- 23 September ‘2005 Medicines Promotion/Key intervention in Access and client friendly Health care delivery in India Presentation by Prof. Pramod Samantaray UNFPA Consultant (Trg) & National Consultant National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (Govt. of India) New Delhi INDIA

2. AT A GLANCE • Presently, India accounts for 16.2% of world population • Total population ( March 2001) - 1029 million • Annual exponential growth rate - 1.93% • 16 million people are added to the population every year • The Largest democracy under Sun

3. The expressed need Provider Borne Health Services People Borne Comprehensive PH Care A National Societal Obligation of people Secondary/Tertiary/R&D based Hi-tech interventions Govt. Pvt.

4. Response from the governance National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) • Launched by the Prime Minister on 12th April’2005 • Tenure ,7 years (2005-2012) • High Focus on 18 States • With specific goals that inter-alia include providing effective health care to Rural people

5. Core Mission Strategy • Promoting access to Health care for ruralites through female Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) - 1 /1000 populations • Capacitating PRIs to own , control and manage public health services • Health plan for each village

6. ASHA • To provide primary med. care for minor ailments and injuries • To act as holder for essential drugs/provisions offered through various important national programmes

7. Anticipated outcome • Increase in awareness about diseases, remedies, ongoing programmes • Increase in expressed need for goods/ services • Easy access of rural population to 90 essential drugs, 7 Ayurvedic, and 5 Unani drugs including a substitute for IFA tablet (Punarnnavadi mandoora) • Prompt availability of remedies for 22 common medical problems Ref : WHO SEARO Regional Health paper no-16

8. In tune with Alma-Ata declaration on HFA Promoting AYUSH products as complimentary to allopathic formulations which are • Cost effective • Culturally congruent /client friendly • Remarkably Safe • Evidence based therapeutic profile • Effective • No expensive technological inputs • Actively promoted by Union Govt.

9. Initiatives That assume critical importance • Relevant knowledge on product profile (indication, contraindication, special precaution, warning, dietary advice, rational use etc) with ASHA • Sustained client education efforts to ensure desired compliance • Physical ( temp, sunlight, moisture, dust etc ) conditions of domestic storage of drugs, out of reach of children • Quick action in case of adverse reactions • Proper disposal of left over medicines

10. Initiative to fight the menace of spurious drugs • MOH & FW , GOI constituted Dr. R. A. Mashelkar committee to recommend suitable measures in January 2003 • Interim report submitted in August 2003, inter-alia, recommended enhancement of penalty for dealing in spurious drugs, - from life imprisonment to capital punishment

11. In conclusion • Essential drug policy assumes critical importance • Addition of AYUSH products - A step in right direction in India • Enhanced use of drugs by communities need stricter control by regulatory authorities to prevent drug related adverse impact on Health • Community sensitization is a must to ensure rational use of medicines either supplied by Govt. staff or bought from open market

12. Thanks