No shortage of drugs, says Health Minister
The Hindu
DINDIGUL
There is no shortage of drugs in the State as it is projected. Over 600 types of essential and speciality drugs are available in adequate quantities across the State, said Ma. Subramanian, Minister for Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.
He was addressing media persons after carrying out a surprise inspection at the district drug warehouse here.
“Out of many instances of drug shortage received on the Tamil Nadu health helpline 104, we have rectified 74 complaints,” he said. He said that anti rabies vaccines (ARV) and anti snake venom (ASV) are adequately available at the drug warehouse in Dindigul and elsewhere.
He said that notice boards outside 32 such drug warehouses in the State would bear the information on the drug stock within 10 days.
Five warehouses are coming up at a cost of ₹6 crore each at Chengalpattu, Tenkasi, Kallakurichi, Tirupattur and Mayiladuthurai districts, he added.
Earlier, he inaugurated the ‘Ashwagandha Crop Cultivation Project’ under the Tamil Nadu State Medicinal Plant Board on 200 acres at Vedasandur at the Vedasandur Tobacco Research Station. Minister for Cooperation I. Periyasamy, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R. Sakkarapani were present.
He stated that the manufacturers of “lehiyam” and tonics who depend on the other states for herbs, especially Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh where Ashwagandha is largely cultivated will now be self-reliant once the cultivation begins. He added that the project aims to bring Dindigul as the leading producer of the crop at the national level.