Annual budget sought for community drug scheme

Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 5:

In a bid to address the shortage of drugs specially in remote parts of the country, the Logistic Management Division under the Ministry of Health and Population has asked the government to allocate an annual budget for the Community Drug Programme (CDP) so that the programme could be extended throughout the country. “We have proposed the budget for the community drug programme so that the scarcity of drugs in remote areas could be solved,” Bhogendra Raj Dotel, public health administrator at the division, said. “Till date, the programme is fully dependent on donor agencies,” he said. “We have proposed around Rs 2 crore annually for the programme so as to expand it to six more districts every year,” said Dotel. “The CDP has proved successful in making the drugs available throughout the year in remote areas,” said Dotel. At present, the CDP covers 36 districts and plans are afoot to extend it to other districts as well. “We will expand the programme to six more districts next year,” Dotel said.

The government provides drugs worth Rs 25,000, Rs 50,000 and Rs 75,000 every year to primary health posts, health posts and sub-health posts respectively which do not last for more than four months. Dr Hari Nath Acharya, spokesperson at the Ministry, said the ministry was seriously considering the proposal as its significance has proved very crucial for the drug supply across the country throughout the year. The CDP was launched with the view to providing drugs and treatment to people at cheaper rates, ensuring use of full dose of medication by the patients and providing drugs to poor people free of cost.