Medicine on Demand: Govt Signs Deal for Quicker Supply

Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal has announced a new agreement with HLL Lifecare Ltd to purchase medications directly from India, aiming to avoid complex procedures and ensure rapid supply to public health facilities in the event of shortages. The announcement was made on Monday, July 22, during the inauguration of a dialysis center.

The minister said that while there may be procedures to follow, the ministry ensured that essential medications are always available on demand.

“Sometimes, a supplier may inform us that they cannot provide a medication, but we ensure that essential medications do not run out,” he assured.

Jagutpal also mentioned that a solution has been found: “We have signed an agreement with HLL Lifecare Ltd, managing the Indian government’s medications in case of shortages, without going through complex procedures. We will be able to obtain medications more quickly.”

Prior to this, the minister spoke about the rising prices of medications, which is a global trend that Mauritius is not immune to.

He attributed this rise to factors such as material, manufacturing, and transportation costs (freight).

He also noted that various suppliers purchase and distribute medications on the Mauritian market at different prices, which affects the final cost.

“The public has the option to benefit from free services in hospitals or buy medications in pharmacies,” he emphasized.

As an example, he cited Metformin, available in pharmacies for diabetes treatment, but added: “There are cheaper generics that are just as effective.”

Jagutpal stressed that it is essential to educate the public on this so they can make informed choices about their health.

Regarding the inauguration of Monday’s dialysis center at Médiclinique de Quartier-Militaire, the minister highlighted that a significant number of patients suffer from comorbidities, which can lead to kidney complications requiring dialysis.

“We are working to bring dialysis services closer to the public,” he declared.

The new center will have five machines, with plans to increase this number to ten in the near future to decentralize this service from the Flacq Hospital.

The Victoria Hospital’s dialysis center will be transferred to ENT, as it faces space issues.

“We have a project to transfer it to a more modern hospital with more space and machines,” said Jagutpal.

“If Victoria Hospital currently has around 30 machines, our new center will have 40, making it easier for people to access dialysis.

The works are underway and we hope everything will be ready by the end of the year or early next year.”

The minister also touched on medical cannabis, explaining that it is already available under specific conditions.

“We are waiting for feedback from doctors on potentially eligible patients.

We plan to review criteria and provide more training for doctors on therapeutic use of cannabis. About twenty have already been trained and we plan to train more,” he emphasized.

Pharmacist skepticism

The announcement by Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal regarding the agreement with HLL Lifecare Ltd came two days after Xavier-Luc Duval’s suggestion at a press conference :

“We can buy our medications directly from HLL Lifecare Ltd if the government wants.”

However, Siddique Khodabocus, president of the Association of Small and Medium Pharmaceutical Importers (ASPM), and Ashwin Dookun, president of the Pharmaceutical Association of Mauritius (PAM), consider this an aberration.

According to Siddique Khodabocus, pharmaceutical products sell at high prices at their source and original products undoubtedly cost more than generics.

Patients consuming original products generally do not frequent public hospitals, which mainly distribute free generic medications sourced from India.

Siddique Khodabocus stated that the only way to get cheaper medications is through parallel imports.

Medications are not free in India and doctors prescribe generics with support plans allowing patients to buy them.

Ashwin Dookun and Siddique Khodabocus cited India’s “Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana” (PMBJP) program aimed at providing quality medications at affordable prices for the general public.

“The PMBJP stores were created to provide generic medicines at lower prices but with equivalent quality and efficacy as branded medicines,” read the Indian government’s website.

This system cannot apply in Mauritius according to our interlocutors.

For Siddique Khodabocus, “the situation is worrying.”

He also noted that it’s not just medications that sell at high prices but also consumer goods and food products whose prices have increased.

He wondered if the “Regressive Mark-Up” should not also be applied to these products like it was for pharmaceuticals.

However, Ashwin Dookun added that no government can reduce medication prices and that other measures should be proposed, such as subsidies, like those already implemented for essential products such as gas and foodstuffs.

“Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, it’s better to improve the current system for medication supply,” Ashwin Dookun emphasized.

He also questioned what would happen to local importers of pharmaceutical products if an agreement is concluded with the Indian government for medication supply.

“What will happen to all these employees in the private sector who work in the pharmaceutical industry?” he wondered.

Source: Defi Media