Delhi government's outdated essential medicines list has more drugs than national, WHO lists
Delhi government, like most other governments has an essential list of medicines, which are procured by the city-state's health ministry.
This list — called the Essential Medicine List (EML) — has 806 drugs and 1,520 formulations, a number that is matched only by the World Health Organisation, which has a list of 811 drugs and 1,288 formulations.
India's EML is just over half that number, with 497 drugs and 958 formulations on listen for the procurement agencies to obtain.
Last updated in 2013, the Delhi government's EML is under scrutiny now as the national capital is reportedly suffering a severe shortage of medicines and consumables at government hospitals and dispensaries.
According to a Times of India report, the list has not been reviewed since 2016, with new drugs and medicines being added to the EML.
Ideally, any additions to the EML have to be reviewed by a committee that assesses requirements, availability of drugs in markets, new additions and old medicines that become redundant, before the list is used by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA).
Earlier this week, Delhi's Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the tender floated by CPA to procure medicines for hospitals, dispensaries and mohalla clinics had not been finalised under a “premeditated conspiracy."
Times of India's sources, however, have said that the Health Minister was apprised of the situation and that all essential medicines were available. Bharadwaj was informed of this during a meeting with the chief secretary, senior
