The Ministry of Public Health calls for confidence in its new pharmaceuticals purchasing plan

 

 

BANGKOK, 1 September 2017 (NNT) – The Ministry of Public Health has stated that a new pharmaceutical purchasing plan for 2018 is now being utilized and should remedy the problem of shortages. 

Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr Somsak Akasin said that the newest purchasing program was undertaken to reassure patients that they will receive the medication they need.

 

Planning for the purchasing began in May of this year and received consultation from Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Kreau-ngam throughout.

 

Other involved agencies included the Central Budget Bureau and the Office of the Auditor General, which both agreed the National Health Security Office (NHSO) could no longer handle the purchases and have the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) handle distribution. 

Nonetheless, the new purchasing plan adheres to the NHSO scheme but has Rajvithi Hospital in the lead role due to its status as a central medical facility. The plan mandates that a committee can be established to address any public concerns. 

GPO Director Dr Nopporn Chuenklin urged trust in the new plan and that no shortages will be experienced, pointing out that many handling the process will be retained from the NHSO. On a shortage of AIDS medication, he explained that the issue was with the supplier and not a matter involving the purchasing plan.

 

-- nnt 2017-09-01

If it is to ensure the continuity of supply of medicines then it this sounds like a very good and overdue idea.

One side distraction will be that the usual envelopes provided by the pharmaceutical companies will need to be redirected into this new body which will probably need to create a new distribution list.

A new committee will probably be formed to carry out this sensitive duty to find a balance between the old recipients and the new lucky ones at the GPO.