New Delhi: Despite protests from doctors and health-watchers around the country, the government is soldiering ahead with the retail-ban on the life-saving drug oxytocin.
With the September 1 deadline looming, after which India’s entire supply of oxytocin will have to be procured only from one government-run producer in Karnataka, various Central and state government officials are trying to put measures in place to ensure there are no stock-outs of oxytocin.
Oxytocin is a life-saving drug used widely to prevent the deaths of pregnant women who suffer from excessive bleeding after delivery. The technical term for this is ‘postpartum hemorrhaging. According to Indian government data cited recently in parliament, the largest cause of maternal deaths is hemorrhaging which accounts for 38% of all maternal deaths. According to UN data, India is estimated to account for 15% of the total global maternal deaths.
The Wire reported that the government’s move to impose a near total ban on the drug comes from a preoccupation with the misuse of this drug in cattle. Even officials at the Prime Minister’s Office have been monitoring the effect of this drug in cattle.
The Wire also reported last month that the government had so far been found to be un-prepared for this sweeping regulation. Some health-watchers have called this move a ‘demonetisation’ on the drug, due to the sudden and ham-handed way in which the government has planned it: The retail-ban was initially supposed to kick in on July 1 but KAPL (the public sector undertaking which will be manufacturing and distributing oxytocin to the entire country) began production only on July 2.
Video-conferencing to prepare officials
The health ministry has also been holding video-conferences with state government officials to discuss issues related to the regulation, manufacture, distribution and sale of oxytocin. The video-conference also assessed the current stocks of oxytocin in various states.
State officials have been told by the Union health ministry to “keep a vigil on any artificial shortage of oxytocin injection in their states”. They have also been told assess their own requirements of the drug, and then to ensure availability of oxytocin injections in all government hospitals by placing orders with KAPL well in advance. Most states reportedly told the central ministry that they have sufficient stock for government hospitals. States have also been told to embark on awareness campaigns about the government’s decision to restrict the manufacture and sale of oxytocin.
The central health ministry has committed to regularly be reviewing the production and distribution of oxytocin. Manoj Jhalani, additional secretary in the Union health ministry, said that “the government will ensure that there is no shortage of oxytocin when the changed dispensation comes into effect”.
India has been creatively representing data on maternal mortality
While the decision to ban oxytocin has been propelled by a desire to protect cattle, India’s lack of concern for maternal mortality shows in the data and the government’s approach to data.
According to recently released data from the Sample Registration System, maternal mortality in India has declined from 167 per 100,000 live births (2011-2013) to 130 per 100,000 live births (2014-2016).
But depending on how India’s progress is calculated, this may or may not meet India’s global commitments on reducing maternal mortality. Going by recent data released by the Sample Registration System, India has failed to achieve the MDG (Millennium Development Goals) target on maternal mortality.
In June, health minister J.P. Nadda said at a press conference, “India has met the MDG target for MMR (Maternal Mortality Ratio) of 139/lakh live births by achieving 130 by 2015.”
Factchecker.in reported that the claim may not be true, and the Indian government has chosen baseline data sets which make this claim seem possible but other Indian government data contradicts the claim.
In July, Nadda made the same claim in parliament: “The country successfully achieved the MDG on reduction in MMR.”
Congress parliamentarian Husain Dalwai then wrote to both Nadda as well as Venkaiah Naidu as Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha “apprising them of the correct facts”.
I have written letter to @MoHFW_INDIA & Chairperson #RajyaSabha @MVenkaiahNaidu apprising them of the correct facts.
India was reqd to reduce MMR to 109, but it correctly stands at 130, missing its target by 21 points
I requested Minister @JPNadda to inform House of correct facts pic.twitter.com/t4nJ8kN4xM— Husain Dalwai (@MPHusainDalwai) August 3, 2018