Committee on Public Undertakings reviews performance of JKMSCL

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 19: The Committee on Public Undertakings (CoPU) of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today convened for a meeting at Assembly Complex here to review the functioning and overall performance of the Jammu & Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL).

The meeting was led by Chairman, Mir Saifullah and attended by Members of the Committee, including Aijaz Ahmad Jan, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani,  Rajiv Jasrotia, Saif ud Din Bhat, Mian Mehar Ali, Arjun Singh Raju, Mohan Lal and Rafiq Ahmad Naik.

Chairman Bureau of Public Enterprises, MD NHM, MD JKMSCL, Special Secretary Health and Medical Education department, Director Health Services Kashmir, Director Finance Health and Medical Education department, Director Ayush, Principals of all GMCs, CMOs of various districts and other concerned officers, besides Secretary JKLA, Manoj Kumar Pandit and other officers of Assembly Secretariat.

During the meeting, the Committee took detailed stock of  procurement, supply, distribution and availability of essential medicines and medical equipment for health institutions across Jammu and Kashmir. The committee also held comprehensive discussion on the functioning of the Corporation, with particular focus on ensuring timely procurement and uninterrupted supply of essential and life-saving medicines to Government hospitals, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and other healthcare institutions.

Addressing the meeting, the Chairman emphasised on availability of medicines, especially those required for the treatment and management of fatal and critical diseases. He directed the Corporation to maintain adequate buffer stocks of such medicines so that patients do not face any difficulty due to shortages at any healthcare facility.

The Chairman also stressed on the need for a robust inventory management mechanism to monitor the availability, consumption and replenishment of essential medicines in real time. It called for regular assessment of the requirements of individual health institutions and directed that procurement and distribution mechanisms be strengthened accordingly.

While reviewing the procurement process, the Committee sought details regarding the status of supplies, pending procurements, stock position and distribution network of the Corporation. The Committee called for greater efficiency and transparency at every stage of procurement and supply to ensure optimum utilisation of public resources.

The Committee observed that JKMSCL has a critical role in strengthening the healthcare delivery system of Jammu & Kashmir and, therefore, its functioning must remain responsive to the needs of patients and healthcare institutions. It directed the concerned officers to put in place effective measures to prevent stock-outs of essential and life-saving drugs.

The Committee further stressed the importance of close coordination between JKMSCL, the Health and Medical Education Department and healthcare institutions for timely assessment and communication of medicine requirements. It called for prompt resolution of supply-related issues and regular monitoring of stocks, particularly of medicines used in emergency care and treatment of serious and life-threatening ailments.

The Committee also underscored the importance of maintaining quality standards in the procurement of medicines and medical supplies. It directed the Corporation to ensure that only quality-assured medicines and equipment are supplied to healthcare institutions and that prescribed procedures and standards are strictly adhered to.

The Members called for strengthening the Corporation’s institutional capacity, improving supply-chain efficiency and leveraging technology for better forecasting, procurement, inventory management and distribution.

The Committee directed the concerned authorities to submit timely action taken reports on the directions issued during the meeting and ensure that the decisions taken are implemented in a time-bound manner.

The Members observed that no patient suffering from a fatal or critical disease should be deprived of essential medication because of a shortage at any Government health institution. The Committee directed JKMSCL to accord the highest priority to uninterrupted availability of such medicines across Jammu & Kashmir.

The Chairman, during the meeting, also announced formation of two Sub-Committees, one each  for Jammu, Kashmir division, to check the status of healthcare institutions with regard to availability of essential medicines, medical equipments, manpower and other related aspects.