News
Clint Chan Tack
MINISTER in the Ministry of Health Dr Rishad Seecheran says government is reviewing drugs being provided to the public through the Chronic Disease Assistance Programme (CDAP).
He made this comment in response to a question from Independent Senator Dr Desiree Murray in the Senate on October 29. Seecheran said the list of CDAP drugs was extended on October 1 and includes medicines to treat glaucoma.
“Currently the list of CDAP medicines include Timolol Maleate 0.5 per cent and Pilocarpine two per cent as well as Pilocarpine four per cent for the treatment of glaucoma.”
He said the ministry’s CDAP technical committee “continues to review the list of medicines inclusive those that are available for glaucoma to ensure greater management and control of chronic NCDs (non-communicable diseases).”
Seecheran told senators Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe formed the committee on June 5, “with a mandate in the first instance to review the list of CDAP items to ensure cost effectiveness as well as clinical alignment with the clinical practice guidelines and thereby to modernise the medications that are available on CDAP.”
He said the committee “has developed a methodology on a clinical review of all identified disease states in accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence as well as the National Disease Burden Profiles.”
Murray asked Seecheran if the Ophthalmological Society was consulted about the inclusion of these glaucoma drugs on the CDAP list of medicines.
In response, Seecheran said,”This is an ongoing process and we will in the future consider reaching out to Ophthalmologic Society and consultants with the view of modernizing the drugs but also we have to take in consideration the cost effectiveness of procuring these drugs and the cost analysis benefit to the CDAP.”
Earlier in the sitting, Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste assured Independent Senator Alicia Lalite-Ettienne that government is doing its best to ensure that people with disabilities are able to access jobs.
“Every position is open to people with disabilities.”