CM orders new Essential Drugs List to ensure quality medicines in govt hospitals

Shimla | 4 February 2026

In a major move aimed at strengthening public healthcare, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday directed the Health Department to prepare a new Essential Drugs List to ensure uninterrupted availability of quality medicines in government health institutions across Himachal Pradesh.

Chairing a review meeting of the Health Department, the Chief Minister said that the revised essential drugs list would be vetted by a High Power Committee before implementation. He underlined that the State Government is moving towards direct procurement of medicines from manufacturers, not merely to reduce costs, but to eliminate delays caused by middlemen and to build a transparent and reliable supply chain.

The Chief Minister stated that direct sourcing would help maintain a steady stock of life-saving drugs, and assured that all necessary provisions would be made to support this transition.

Taking serious note of quality concerns, Sh. Sukhu directed the Health Department to strengthen sampling and quality testing mechanisms for medicines supplied to government hospitals. He announced that dedicated quality testing cells would be established in every medical college in the state, with adequate manpower, training and modern equipment.

In the first phase, these cells will be set up at IGMC Shimla and Dr. RPGMC Tanda.

The Chief Minister also ordered strict quality checks on pharmaceutical units operating in Himachal Pradesh and directed officials to rigorously enforce Schedule-M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. He made it clear that no compromise would be tolerated when it comes to patients’ health and safety.

Senior officials present in the meeting included Secretary Health M. Sudha Devi, Special Secretary Ashwani Kumar, Director AYUSH Nipun Jindal, Director Medical Education Dr. Rakesh Sharma, Director Health Services Dr. Gopal Berry, among others.