MYSORE:  A two-day meeting on hospital drug procurement was held in Mysore from 3 to 4 September 2019. The meeting was organised by the Department of Health, Central Tibetan Administration and is funded by the USAID.

The drug procurement meeting was attended by the two staff of the Department of Health CTA, Bylakupee Tsojhe hospital administrator and pharmacist, Kollegal DVT hospital administrator and Hunsur Phende hospital administrator at the hotel Preethi International.

The main objective of this meeting was to learn about various challenges and opportunities that exist in access to affordable medicines of good quality in order to achieve the overall goal of health for all.

Mr. Tsering, OSM program Coordinator in his inaugural remarks, outlined the aims and objectives of the meeting. Participants discussed various agenda points including objectives of procurement, drug management cycle, essential medicine lists (EML), rational medicine selection and quantification methods, branded-generic medicines, procurement methods, drug quality assurance measures, the feasibility of pooled drug procurement for DOH hospitals based in Mysore district and good procurement practices.

The meeting also discussed matters such as DOH drug procurement guidelines, local government drug regulations, financial sustainability, and effective drug delivery systems.

The meeting concluded with vote of thanks from DOH Optimal Service Model (OSM) Project Coordinator.