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Health Department to notify Essential Drugs List soon
CMOs told to audit medical prescriptions of doctors
Association resents move
Jakhu ropeway |
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China’s remarks on self-immolations
Detained polytechnic students get another chance
Aadhaar: Hamirpur to achieve 100 per cent enrolment
Policeman guarding EVMs absent from duty
Red Cross mela concludes
Self-immolation foiled, man held
Rehabilitation of pong dam Oustees
Forest area down, simian menace up
State to get Rs 35.45 lakh dividend
Snow, heavy rain predicted on Dec 13
Blood donation campaign extended
Lifer dies in hospital
Labourer dies on falling off tractor
4 injured in road accident
Youth commits suicide
One booked for bid to assault woman
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Health Department to notify Essential Drugs List soon
Mandi, December 10 But doctors take the EDL with a pinch of salt saying that the government must first put a bridle on civil supplies outlets being run by contractors as they are making a fast buck selling drugs giving them maximum profits. The drugs pricing is the mandate of the Central Government. But the large-scale “generic formulations of drugs available in markets have made it difficult for the government to monitor prescriptions given daily by over 1,400 doctors who work in government hospitals,” said top
health officials. “Now, we are making EDL for all common ailments in the state. This list will be notified soon and generic drugs will be made available in government-run stores and doctors will prescribe them,” says Ali Raza Rizvi, Principal Secretary, Health. “But patients are paying through their nose as they get the same medicine at 100-500 times higher price from chemists. Doctors prescribe non-generic medicines, with price difference ranging 100-500 times more,” said insiders. The government has yet to break an alleged nexus between retailers and wholesalers and pharmaceutical companies and drug controlling authorities. They allegedly force doctors to prescribe their drugs for which “he/she is given some commission or benefits”, said insiders. General secretary, state Association of Medical and Dental College Teachers, Dr Rajesh Kashyap said they welcome the EDL move, but it was doctors who know which are the best medicine for a patient. But the question was that most retail stores run by the government-run Civil Supplies Corporation do not make the drugs available, he added. “If they prescribe all generic drugs, patients will be at the mercy of chemists as it will give them a free hand, selling the generic drugs of their choice that give them maximum profits,” the association claimed. “We have given our view to the government as well,” Kashyap added. The association said drug stores in government hospitals should be run by the Rogi Kalyan Samiti. “Most government dispensaries have no medicines and patients have to buy these from markets or civil supply stores. Why does the government not make these medicines available first,” doctors asked. General secretary, HP Medical Officers’ Association (HPMOA), Dr JN Chauhan said they welcome EDL, but the government had not made available generic drugs in stores being run by the Civil Supplies Corporation even. “The issue is that there are generic drugs on which the printed price is over 300 times as the government has no mechanism to control the printed price by firms,” Chauhan said. Chemists sell all medicines on the basis of printed price even as it costs them 100- 200 times less than the printed price from manufactures. “For instance, a strip of 10 iron capsules has a print price of Rs 75 and actually it costs them Rs 9 and chemists can earn Rs 65 from the same,” they said. Drug pricing is the mandate of the Central Government, said Rizvi. The EDL would check the issue and patients would get cheap and quality drugs, he added. |
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CMOs told to audit medical prescriptions of doctors
Palampur, December 10 A senior officer of the state Health Department told mediapersons here today that these steps had been taken following complaints received by the Director and the Principal Secretary, Health, that various doctors were indulging in prescribing over medicines to their patients visiting hospitals with an intention to boost the sales of pharma companies to earn commission and incentives. It was alleged in the complaints that pharma companies were paying a commission up to 40 per cent to doctors for boosting the sales of medicines. He said CMOs had been asked to conduct the medical audit of prescriptions of indoor and outdoor patients of doubtful doctors. CMOs had also been directed to conduct surprise checks in medical stores that had been selling sub-standard drugs in connivance with doctors posted in government hospitals. He said if doctors were found guilty in the preliminary investigation then the matter would be handed over to the state Vigilance Bureau for registration of cases and to scrutinise the assets of them. During a recent study conducted by a team of doctors in the state, it was revealed that excessive and repeated dose of pain killers and antibiotics administered by doctors in the state had resulted in diseases like renal failure and ulcers in intestines. Hence, the government had taken a serious note of the matter. |
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Association resents move
Solan, December 10 Though the move appears to be aimed at checking doctors from prescribing costly branded drugs when cheaper generic ones are available, the availability of price variations in drugs has created issues for doctors. HMOA general secretary Jivanand Chauhan said the move would create chaos as doctors would refrain from prescribing even genuine drugs due to their cost factor, thus leaving the patient to suffer. The association alleged that there was no price check on pharmaceutical companies at the state or Central levels and similar drugs of different companies were available in different prices in the market. Though this decision will check those MOs who indulge in wrong practices, CMOs are already taking action against such erring doctors. The association alleged that some generic medicines were costing over the branded ones and these directions would fail to serve any purpose. While the move is supposed to keep a check on doctors who deliberately prescribe costly branded drugs to patients, it has received a strong reaction from the association. The association also resented the move of the Director, Health, to post junior medical officers as programme officer as it was humiliating for senior block medical officers (BMOs). The HMOA has urged the Secretary, Health, to post senior BMOs as programme officer to improve the health services. |
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Jakhu ropeway
Shimla, December 10 Conflicting views prevail within the government over the issue that has been hanging fire for over two years since Jagson International Ltd constructed two additional floors. Though permission had been granted for raising an 11-storeyed structure, the promoters without submitting any revised plans went ahead and added two more floors. The state too has been unable to take a final decision on the irregularity committed by the promoters. Located in a no-construction green area, the controversial project was started in 2007, but even after five years it stands as a stark concrete eyesore. The objective of tourism promotion with which the project was conceived too remains unfulfilled with it being mired in one controversy after the other. Chief Secretary Sudripta Roy said the views of the Town and Country Planning Department had been sought and a decision would soon be taken whether to demolish the two additional floors or regularise them by imposing a condition that the additional space created would not be put to use. Sources said as per the directives of the government, the promoters had got a structural stability certificate from experts of the IIT, certifying that even after the construction of the two unapproved floors it would be a safe structure. “Though the structural stability certificate has been received earlier, a final decision is still awaited,” said an official. The promoters tried to justify the violation of making two storeys without permission by stating that the additional height would save a few more precious deodar trees from being axed. However, this they did without bothering to submit a revised plan or seek prior approval and later sought permission for habitable use of the additional space created by them, in gross violation of the TCP rules. At one point of time, it was being planned that the two floors created illegally must be taken over by the government and put to some public use. In fact, the Shimla Municipal Corporation and the Tourism Department had even approached the government to provide them this space for setting up a museum, library or a reading room for residents of the town as it was located in the centre. It is only the new government that will now finally decide the fate of this project that has been in the eye of a storm ever since it was conceived and started. |
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Tibetans hold protest against China
Dharamsala, December 10 The protest march was organised on Human Rights Day today. Tibetans and their supporters, called on world leaders to take action for Tibet in response to the intensified crisis, in which 28 Tibetans had set themselves on fire to protest against China’s occupation of Tibet and called for the return of the Dalai Lama. The staggering toll of self-immolations had reached 95 since February 2009. On December 5, China reinforced its hardline position on such protests by announcing through the state media that anyone caught aiding or inciting self-immolations would be charged with murder, the protestors alleged. "World governments cannot simply hope that self-immolations in Tibet will stop,” said Gelek Jamyang, president, National Democratic Party of Tibet. “Until China’s leaders begin to genuinely address the legitimate grievances of the Tibetans, we cannot see this crisis abating. China’s hardline approach is not deterring Tibetans from protesting — quite the reverse — there is a dramatic rise in Tibetan resistance against Chinese rule with displays of unwavering determination and commitment to the non-violence,” he said. November has also seen an increase in mass protests in eastern Tibet. On November 26 in Chabcha, Amdo (Chinese: Qinghai), at least a 1,000 Tibetan students held a peaceful demonstration after provocative pamphlets about self-immolations were distributed by the local officials. The police broke up the protests with indiscriminate beatings leaving at least 20 Tibetans hospitalised, four with serious injuries, the Tibetan leaders participating in protests alleged. “The series of self-immolations highlight the serious crisis in Tibet. We must make efforts to bring our focus on the lingering crises that are hidden behind self-immolations. Family members, friends and the entire community are being severely oppressed in the aftermath by the Chinese Government. This requires urgent global attention,” said Lukar Jam, vice-president of the Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet. Members of the International Tibet Network have written to leaders in the European Union appealing them to utilise the EU's standing as 2012 Nobel Peace Laureate in the coming year to address the crisis situation in Tibet. The letter states that the European Union is joining an august body of peace laureates, including the Dalai Lama. 23 years after receiving his award, the Dalai Lama is still waiting for the realisation of his vision of peace and security in his homeland, where the situation is more acute today than it was in 1989. This is a desperately urgent crisis which requires an immediate response. Jigdal, programme director, Students for a Free Tibet, India said, “Tibetans are calling for freedom and human rights. The international community cannot leave them to cry out in the darkness. This Human Rights Day we urge our governments to stand together, to work in partnership to build a multilateral response to this crisis in Tibet, that will increase pressure on China to address the Tibetan people’s desire for freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet.” |
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China’s remarks on self-immolations
Dharamsala, December 10 The CTA in a statement here said it invites the Chinese authorities to send an investigation team to Dharamsala, the headquarters of the Tibetan government- in-exile, to prove their assertion that the self-immolations were incited by the CTA and the Dalai Lama. This was in the wake of a recent Xinhua report alleging that two Tibetans had confessed that the Dalai Lama had instructed Tibetans to self-immolate, the statement said. “If China genuinely wishes to end the self-immolations, instead of resorting to the blame game it should allow unfettered access to international bodies to Tibetan areas to investigate the root causes for these self-immolations,” said Lobsang Sangay, democratically elected leader of the Tibetan people. The United Nations has requested the China to allow its agencies to visit Tibet to investigate causes of Tibetans setting themselves on fire. Both United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Human Rights Commissioner of Germany, in their statements on November 2 and November 21, respectively, had urged the China to allow international observers to visit Tibet. UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Navi Pillay issued an unprecedented call to Chinese leaders to address grievances of Tibetans. “Social stability in Tibet will never be achieved through heavy security measures and suppression of human rights,” Pillay said. She appealed to the China Government to seriously consider the recommendations made to it by various international human rights bodies, as well as to avail itself of the expert advice being offered by the UN’s independent experts on human rights, Sangay said. He further said the Human Rights Commissioner of Germany had urged China to reform its policies. The CTA believes that there was a way for China to end the crisis in Tibet. This path has been clearly laid out by the Dalai Lama when he enunciated the middle-way policy. The middle-way policy does not seek independence for Tibet. Rather it seeks that the Tibetan plateau come under one single administration which enjoys real autonomy within the scope of the constitution of the People’s Republic of China. The CTA believes this was the aspiration of Tibetans as expressed by the 95 Tibetans who self-immolated in Tibet. All of them called for the return of the Dalai Lama to his homeland and freedom for people of Tibet. |
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Detained polytechnic students get another chance
Kangra, December 10 Principal RK Sharma said 48 students of the first year were detained and declared ineligible to appear in the final examination to be conducted by the Board of the Technical Education from December 13 as they could not pass the sessional examination conducted by the college authorities. He said the detentions were made according to the norms and standards laid down by the statutory body with an eye to maintain the quality of education. The principal said the affected students had approached director Chandan, who gave them a last-time relief, and provided them a golden chance to appear in a test, which is scheduled for tomorrow. Sharma said more than 90 per cent students were telephonically informed by the polytechnic authorities today to appear in the test tomorrow at 10 am on the college premises. He said the remaining 10 per cent was informed through their friends and co-students. The students had earlier held protests, dharna and ultimately moved the Directorate of Technical Education to revoke the detention orders. |
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Aadhaar: Hamirpur to achieve 100 per cent enrolment
Hamirpur, December 10 The first phase was conducted between February 21, 2011, and March 31, 2012. The scheme was launched in the district by Chief Minister PK Dhumal on January 25, 2012. Out of the total population of 4,54,293 of the district, 4,47,500 persons have already been registered in the first phase. Obtaining Aadhaar card has become quite significant for people since the Centre has decided to pay subsidy on various items like LPG refills, PDS ration, kerosene and fertilisers directly in bank accounts of beneficiaries. Hamirpur district has been included in the two districts selected from the state by the Central Government for paying direct subsidy to consumers, as a pilot project in the country. Deputy Commissioner, Hamirpur, Rajender Singh Thakur said: “Over 98.5 per cent enrolment of the population of Hamirpur to issue Aadhaar is commendable.” He added, “The second phase has been started in the district and the enrolment drive is going on through BDO offices and we have appealed to the remaining people to get enrolled to achieve 100 per cent enrolment under this campaign.” |
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Traffic jam on Pathankot-Mandi national highway for 3 hours
Kangra, December 10 A bus had a tyre puncture near the Matour Chowk and a truck a breakdown near the junction where from the road moves to Dharamsala from the national highway after crossing the Matour bridge. Even 108 ambulances carrying serious patients were caught the traffic jam. Passengers alighted from buses at Old Matour and others at Gurkhari and moved on foot to reach their destinations. Some vehicles adopted the Zamanabad link road via Abdullahpur from Old Matour to reach Kangra town. Three traffic police personnel who reached the spot looked helpless in view of the traffic mess. Vehicles were caught in the jam at Gurkhari, Matour Chowk, Bagli Chowk, Old Matour and on the Pathankot-Mandi national highway, Matour-Dharamsala, Bagli and other roads. Passengers who had to reach Pathankot to catch trains from Chiki Bank and Pathankot missed these. The traffic was regulated by this evening. |
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Policeman guarding EVMs absent from duty
Solan, December 10 The ASI is among the 30 policemen, who were guarding the outer periphery of the hall, where the EVMs were placed. Rakesh Kumar last reported on duty on November 26 and since then he has been mysteriously absent. SP Prem Thakur said his absence came to light yesterday, when the duties were being checked and since it was a serious matter, the DSP (headquarters) had been directed to enquire into the matter and submit a report so that a suitable action could be initiated against the ASI as absence without information was an act of indiscipline. Though no threat to the EVMs has been reported, it is worth mentioning that such negligence by the staff on duty has become a cause of concern, especially since his absence had remained unnoticed for 13 days. |
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Red Cross mela concludes
Bilaspur, December 10 This was stated by Inspector General of Police Atul Verma, who was the chief guest, during the concluding function of the two-day District Red Cross Society (DRCS) mela. Verma said apart from medical help, the society had been known for its work in other fields. Verma gave a wheel chair to handicapped Titu Ram of Dohak village in Jhandutta area and crutches to Jogender Singh of Berry Dadollan village in Jhandutta tehsil on the behalf of the DRCS. He also distributed prizes and certificates to winners of various events like dog show, games and sports, cultural programmes organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra and a baby show and spot-painting competition organised on the subject of environment protection. Among the others, who were present on the occasion, included Deputy Commissioner-cum-president, DRCS, Ritesh Chauhan, District General Secretary-cum-Chief Medical Officer DR Sehgal, Additional Deputy Commissioner Darshan Kalia, Superintendent of Police Santosh Patial and SDM Rohan Chand Thakur. |
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Self-immolation foiled, man held
Nurpur, December 10 Sources said he tried to take the drastic step as he had not got his salary for the last 10 months. He had also written to the local SDM a few days back and had given an ultimatum of self-immolation by December 10, if the BSNL did not release his salary. He, along with his wife and two children, came to the BSNL office this morning and sprinkled petrol on his body, but police personnel, who had reached there, overpowered and arrested him. DSP Rajinder Jaswal said a case under Section 309, IPC, had been registered against him. Meanwhile, BSNL sources said the employee, who made a bid to self-immolate, had remained absent from his duty for a long period without intimating the authorities
concerned and his salary was stopped due to his prolonged absence from the duty. |
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Rehabilitation of pong dam Oustees
Nurpur, December 10 President of the samiti TR Sharma said as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and the Government of India in 1973 after the construction of the Pong Dam on the foothills of Kangra district, land worth Rs 2.2 lakh had been reserved in Ganganagar and Bikaner districts of Rajasthan. “Notwithstanding allotting 15.5 acre land to each oustee, the Rajasthan Government has distributed the reserved land among local inhabitants and now the government is proposing to make allotments (murabbas) to oustees in desert areas,” he said. Sharma urged the state government to take a serious note over the betrayal of the Pong Dam oustees by the Rajasthan Government and get detailed information on the allotment of the reserved land in Ganganagar and Bikaner districts. Giving a clarion call to the oustees on the behalf of the PDOSS, Sharma said no oustee would attend the meeting of the standing committee constituted by the Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh governments for solving the problems and rehabilitation of the oustees in Rajasthan. He said the PDOSS would not accept new rehabilitation proposal of the oustees in Rajasthan deserts and launch a stir for the justice to thousands of hapless oustees, who had been running from pillar to post for their rehabilitation. He lamented that during the construction of the Pong Dam, 20,000 families had been displaced, and around 6,000 families were still fighting for their rehabilitation in Rajasthan. He alleged that the government had violated the MoU by depriving the oustees of reserve land allotments. |
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Forest area down, simian menace up
Solan, December 10 Scores of big and small hotels and resorts have come up in every nook and corner of the Parwanoo-Dharampur stretch of National Highway-22 and the Dharampur-Kasauli road. This has led to the clearing of the forest area. Even nullahs, which serve as passage for rain water, have not been spared. An adverse fallout of this is the reduction in the natural habitat of monkeys. Simians are now venturing into towns for food. Apart from destroying maize and fruit crops, these have been attacking women and children in semi-urban areas. Permission accorded to operate nature camps in forest areas is also responsible for reducing the natural habitat of monkeys. This move to allow investors to run hotels in forest areas has further affected the natural habitat of simians. The sterilisation programme of the Forest Department seems to have had a limited impact. The monkey population has been witnessing a significant rise after the breeding season every year. Simians can be seen lined up along National Highway 22 and invading houses. These even enter kitchens by forcing open doors not bolted. The Kasauli-based Central Research Institute routinely receives cases of monkeybite, with most of the victims being women and children. The Wildlife Department has been planting 30 per cent fruit trees, but this is a long-term strategy. No short-term measure has been taken to address the problem of simians in semi-urban areas. |
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State to get Rs 35.45 lakh dividend
Shimla, December 10 It was also decided in the meeting to give Rs 2 crore towards the Employees Pension Fund. In another meeting of the Board of Directors of the corporation, Ramesh Dhawala appreciated the work done by the corporation during the year. The minister said it was due to the best efforts put by employees that the turnover of the corporation had gone up by 5 per cent up to November
this year. BM Nanta, Managing Director, HP State Civil Supplies Corporation gave details of various activities of the corporation and steps taken to strengthen its working. Prem Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, and other official and non-official members also attended
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Snow, heavy rain predicted on Dec 13
Shimla, December 10 With the sky remaining overcast throughout the day today, ice-skating lovers too were disappointed as the ice melted. It remained cold and windy throughout the day, resulting in a dip in both the minimum as well as maximum temperature all over the state. The Meteorological Department has indicated the presence of Western Disturbance (WD) as an upper air system over Pakistan and the neighbourhood. There is a forecast of rain in most parts of the state from tomorrow onwards with possibility of snow on December 13 and 14. The minimum temperature in Shimla was 4.3°C, with a fall of almost 5.6°C within 24 hours. The temperatures in other parts of the state also dipped with Sundernagar recording 4.1°C, Bhuntar 3.2°C, Kalpa 0.6°C, Dharamshala 8.4°C, Una 6.5°C, Mandi 3.1°C, Nahan 9.2°C, Keylong -4.6°C, Palampur 7.5°C, Solan 2.8°C and Manali 1°C. |
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Blood donation campaign extended
Kangra, December 10 A mega blood donation awareness-cum-camp was held under the aegis of the ICTC of Regional Ayurvedic Hospital, Paprola. Principal, ITI, Mulk Raj Sharma said the new Red Ribbon Club was established in their institute with this blood donation activity. Dhyan Chand, Instructor, ITI, Dr Virendra Kaul, in charge, ICTC, Paprola, Akaash Branch Manager, HDFC, Desh Raj, general secretary, Bharat Vikas Parishad, Dr Bal Chander, Head, Pathology-cum-Blood Bank Officer, DRPGMC, Tanda, Dr RK Sood, District AIDS Programme Officer, Kangra,spoke on the occasion. The mobile blood bank tour had been extended till December 13. |
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4 held with 1.150 kg charas
Nurpur, December 10 Rajinder Jaswal said the car occupants indentified as Mohammad Ayub, Akhtar Hussain, Tilak Raj and Vinit Kumar were residents of Sangni village in Seuni tehsil of Chamba district. He said the accused were produced in the court this evening and remanded in three-day police custody for further investigation. He said the inter-state nexus of the drug trafficking could not be ruled out after these arrests and seizure. |
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Lifer dies in hospital
Bilaspur, December 10 Reports said Hardayal Singh was spending life term for murder in the Open Air Jail where he was shifted due to good conduct in 2007 from Dharamsala and Nahan jails, where he has been lodged since 2001. Hardayal Singh complained of severe stomach ache to the jail authorities and was shifted to the Regional Hospital here. His condition was said to be improving, but suddenly it became serious and he died. The police has informed his family and also the court about the incident. His post-mortem examination has been conducted. The matter is being investigated.
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Labourer dies on falling off tractor
Bilaspur, December 10 Reports said both labourer Rajender and tractor driver Vinod Kumar are neighbours in the village. The accident occurred on a sharp turn near Rai mod near Bharadi. The police has arrested driver Vinod and impounded the tractor and is investigating the matter. Rajender was rushed to nearby Bharadi Civil Hospital, but was declared brought dead by the doctor.
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4 injured in road accident
Chamba, December 10 The report said the injured had been rushed to nearby Civil Hospital. A case of rash and negligent driving had been registered against driver Vinayak at the Chamba sadar police station and further investigation was on.
— OC
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Youth commits suicide
Nurpur, December 10 The police handed over the deceased’s body to the family after a postmortem examination yesterday. The matter was registered under Section 174 of the
CrPC.
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One booked for bid to assault woman
Chamba, December 10 The SP revealed that Parveena, who was allegedly assaulted by a person with an axe, had a narrow escape as narrated by her in her complaint lodged with the police. A case in this connection had been registered at Tissa police station under Sections 341 and 324, IPC.
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