The Jammu and Kashmir administration on 26th August termed "baseless" rumours and news reports suggesting shortage of medicines in Kashmir markets and said drugs worth around Rs 32 crore have been supplied to the valley from July 20 to August 23. 



The medicines include a wide range of drugs from all categories, including antibiotics, anti-diabetic, proton pump inhibitors, anti-hypertensives, antacids, NSAIDs, anti-cancer drugs, cardiovascular drugs, anti-tuberculars, anti-depressants, psychotropics, an official spokesman said. Teams of drug control officers were deputed to depots, C&Fs and consignees of major pharmaceutical companies to collect relevant data regarding supplies of medicines and pharmaceutical drug formulations made to pharma dealers and distributors across the valley in the last one month, he said.

As per drug controller, special efforts are being made to ensure and facilitate timely supply of medicines which require specialised storage conditions to authorised stockists and stake holders in Kashmir. A number of stockists and distributors based in Kashmir procure different categories of medicines as per their needs and requirements directly from manufacturers, super-stockists and distributors based outside J&K, he said. The figure given above excludes that, he said.

Moreover, the field functionaries of drugs control organisation Kashmir and the project coordinator, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadi Yojana, have informed that all outlets of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadi are fully operational at different locations in Srinagar and have sufficient stocks of all categories of drugs. In addition to this, there are around 40 outlets operational under the PMJAY scheme in the Kashmir division catering to those in need, he said.

The department said that it is in constant touch with heads of all health institutions of the valley to assess their availability and requirement of medicines. It said any instances of unavailability of medicines are dealt with on priority.