Sale of cancer drugs without profit in mind; delivery and distribution should be expanded to taluk level

The state government's plan to provide expensive cancer drugs at the company price through Karunya Pharmacy without taking any profit has been started today. This is a great boon for the common man in the face of the increasing incidence of cancer. 247 types of cancer drugs will now be available to patients at low cost through Karunya. As a starting point of the project, one Karunya Pharmacy in each of the fourteen districts will distribute medicines. The distribution network will be expanded gradually. At present, around 7000 medicines are being sold at reduced prices through 74 Karunya pharmacies. Although there are widespread complaints about the non-availability of many prescription drugs, this system is a relief to the common man.

The rising number of cancer patients in the state is both startling and alarming. The high cost of treatment is becoming unaffordable for the middle class and common people. All cancer drugs are expensive. As the disease progresses, the cost of treatment increases. The situation is such that whether the disease is cured or not, all the savings have to be spent on treatment. The Public Health Department, on the other hand, has few special assistance schemes for this purpose. Advanced treatment centres are also less in number. Overcrowding in treatment centres like RCCs calls for the decentralization of cancer centres. The increase in patients points to the need to open special departments exclusively for cancer treatment in all district and taluk hospitals.

Cancer drugs were once the main source of income for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Medicines, which were monopolized by multinational companies, have been brought down to affordable levels by the central government in several stages. However, they still generally come at a high price. Revolutionary changes in treatment regimens are also bringing relief to patients.

If the plan to provide cancer drugs through Karunya Pharmacies without taking profit is to be fully utilized, a system should be developed to deliver and distribute them to more places. The method of having one centre in one district is not at all desirable. When the people living in the far end of the district have to travel a long distance to buy medicine, the profit from buying medicine has to be paid for travel fare and other expenses. The solution for this is to allow distribution centres on a taluk basis. The health department should make arrangements for this without delay. There is a situation where useful initiatives like this, which start with a bang, become inactive over time. In the early days, Karunya Pharmacies were very helpful to the patients. Now the old name and fame have been damaged due to mismanagement. Care should be taken to ensure adequate stocking of medicines. If more prescription drugs continue to be out of stock, people will hesitate to pay a second visit. The current plight of HLL Pharmacies, which were centrally run by medical colleges, is proof of this. It should be remembered that this is an institution that was functioning well in the early days.

It is the responsibility of governments to make essential medicines available at affordable prices. Pharmaceutical companies and medical stores in the country are among the most profitable institutions. Although there is a price control system, the price of medicine is increasing day by day.