**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer to Unstarred Question No. 2089, submitted to the Lok Sabha, regarding shortages of essential medicines, to be answered on December 12th, 2025. The Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare responded, outlining measures taken under the National Health Mission (NHM) and the role of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in monitoring drug availability. There are no deadlines or action items mentioned.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Health Mission (NHM) Support:**
* Financial support is provided to States/UTs to strengthen their healthcare delivery system, including the provision of free essential medicines.
* Support is based on the requirements posed by States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overall resource envelope.
* The Ministry has recommended facility-wise Essential Drugs Lists (EDL) for public healthcare facilities.
* **Monitoring Approaches:**
* The Ministry has adopted a multi-layered monitoring approach to identify and address gaps in procurement, supply chain, and stock management.
* Many States have adopted digital platforms like Drugs and Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS) to track drug procurement, consumption, and replenishment.
* Senior officials of the Union and State Governments monitor the availability and utilization of these services through field visits.
* **Role of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA):**
* The NPPA monitors the availability of drugs in the country and takes remedial measures when non-availability issues are reported.
* Complaints are received through various sources, including State Drugs Controllers, Pharma Jan Samadhan Portal, NPPA's Helpline, and public grievance portals.
* NPPA takes immediate measures in coordination with State Authorities and manufacturers to ensure drug availability.
**Impact Analysis**
**States/Union Territories**
* **Impact**
* They receive financial support to strengthen healthcare delivery and provide free essential medicines.
* They are required to develop Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) outlining their needs.
* They are encouraged to adopt digital platforms for tracking drug procurement and consumption.
* **Action Required**
* States/UTs must develop and submit their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) outlining their essential medicine needs.
* If there are availability issues, states should notify their state drugs controller.
**Public Healthcare Facilities**
* **Impact**
* Expected to ensure facility-wise Essential Drugs List (EDL) is available.
* **Action Required**
* To ensure essential drugs are available
**Pharmaceutical Manufacturers:**
* **Impact**
* Manufacturers must be available to respond to State Authorities and NPPA requests.
* **Action Required**
* Required to coordinate with the NPPA and State Authorities to ensure drug availability in the region/state.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The primary ministry responsible for addressing the question about the shortage of essential medicines.
National Health Mission (NHM): A scheme that provides financial support to States/UTs for strengthening their healthcare delivery system including support for provision of free essential medicines.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA): An authority that monitors the availability of drugs in the country and takes remedial measures when issues of non-availability arise.
Free Drugs Service Initiative: An initiative under which the Ministry has recommended facility-wise Essential Drugs List (EDL) to be made available at public healthcare facilities.
Drugs and Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS): Digital platforms adopted by States to track procurement, consumption, and replenishment of drugs.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2089
TOBE ANSWERED ON12TH DECEMBER, 2025
SHORTAGEOFESSENTIALMEDICINES
2089.SHRIRAJARAM SINGH:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether any shortages of essential medicines that have been reported in the country
during the last five years and if so, the details thereof, year-wise and State/UT-wise along
with the reasons therefor;
(b) the list of medicines affected duration of shortages and the details of health facilities
impactedduring the said period;
(c)whether anyinquiries/audits/review committeeshave beenconstitutedtomonitoressential
drug availability, investigate causes of shortages and recommend corrective action and if so,
the detailsthereof; and
(d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to strengthen procurement and
the formation of a committee, ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential medicines across
the country?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT.ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a)to(d): Under the National Health Mission (NHM), financial support is provided to
the States/UTs for strengthening their healthcare delivery system including support for
provision of free essential medicines in public health facilities based on the requirements
posed by States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overall
resource envelope. Under Free Drugs Service Initiative, Ministry has recommended facility
wise Essential Drugs List (EDL)to be made available at the public healthcare facilities in the
countrytoensure widespread accesstoessential medicines.
The Ministry has adopteda multi-layered monitoringapproachto identifyandaddress
gaps in procurement, supply chain, and stock management. Many States have adopted digital
platforms like Drugs and Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS) to track
procurement, consumption, and replenishment of the drugs. Field visits by senior officials of
Union Government as well as State Government also monitor the availability and utilisation
of these services.Further, as informed by Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), the National
Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under DoP monitors availability of drugs in the
country and takes remedial measures whenever issue of non-availability of any medicine is
brought to its notice. Complaints regarding non-availability of a medicine in the market is
received by NPPA through various sources including State Drugs Controllers, Pharma Jan
Samadhan Portal, NPPA’s Helpline and public grievance portals like Prime Minister's Office
Public Grievances/ Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System
(CPGRAMS) andfrom individuals. NPPAtakesimmediate measures incoordination with the
State Authorities and the manufacturer of the drugs concerned to ensure availability of the
said drug inthe said region/ state.
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