The Himachal Pradesh health department has decided to open generic medicine stores in two of its medical colleges on a pilot basis, the state health and family welfare minister Kaul Singh Thakur informed scribes on Tuesday.

 

"Initially the generic medicines stores will be opened in the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla and the Rajendra Prasad Medical College in Tanda town, and subsequently these will be opened in all zonal hospitals," he said.

 

Addressing health officials in their review meeting, the minister said every health institutions would be computerized in a phased manner.

 

It was made compulsory since last December for the doctors from the government hospitals and dispensaries to prescribe 191 identified generic drugs rather than the branded ones.

 

A list of necessary drugs comprising 314 formulations made by the Government would make 430 drugs accessible to the patients. A senior health official said that the government will shortly check the prescriptions given by the doctors to find out the highest prescribers of certain branded drugs.

 

Generic drugs are usually available in lower prices than their branded equivalents.