The Department of Health and Medical Education today notified the revised Essential Drug List (EDL) 2019 for the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The EDL has been finalized by a Committee of experts to ensure that the list of Medicines/Formulations is prepared, which satisfies the priority health care needs of the State’s population. “The committee was asked to ensure that the EDL is prepared, keeping in mind the pattern of public health relevance, prevalence of diseases, treatment facilities, evidence of clinical efficacy and safety and comparative cost and cost-effectiveness so that the quality patient care is provided in the Government health institutions,” a statement of the Department said.
To ensure that the Essential Drug List is utilized properly, a list of 345 Drugs and 479 Formulations has been prepared indicating Drugs and Formulations separately for Government Medical Colleges, District Hospitals, Sub District Hospitals/ Community Health Centres, Primary Health Centres and Sub Centres, an official handout said.
All the medicines/formulations are not required in every section of the Hospital, so a separate list for Indoor / Outdoor Departments has been prepared for guiding the institutions for providing proper patient care.The lists have been approved by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, both of whom were consulted while preparing the Drug List for the J&K, the statement said.
“The revised Essential Drug List will promote rational use of drugs in the patient care in Government health institutions and shall also guide in making procurement and supplies through Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited,” the statement added.
