A regular meeting of the Public Working Group at SK-Pharmacy was held, which includes representatives of civil society and the business community, deputies and industry experts. The site of the Single Distributor regularly raises questions from citizens and discusses the pressing problems of drug provision of the population.
The first issue on the agenda was the issue of providing medicines within the framework of the guaranteed volume of medical care and in the system of compulsory medical insurance.
There are a number of tasks that are independent of the Single Distributor: pricing, the absence of a Unified classifier of medicines and medical devices, the integration of information systems of state bodies, etc. In this regard, systemic issues with proposed solutions are identified. The meeting participants discussed optimal models for the functioning of healthcare systems, noted common approaches to improving the uninterrupted provision of the population with essential medicines. All proposals and appeals voiced by members of the public working group following the meeting are entered into the so-called "Book of Problematic Issues".
They also discussed the state policy on long-term contracts for the supply of medicines and medical devices.
Support for domestic production and entrepreneurial initiative is one of the main directions of the Single Distributor. Unprecedented support measures were created for Kazakhstan manufacturers to participate in public procurement of medicines and medical devices. First of all, these are absolute preferences within the framework of tender procedures. This means that if local producers submit bids for the tender, only they are allowed to procurement and other bids are not considered.
An important support measure that allowed the domestic pharmaceutical industry to make a qualitative leap in development was the possibility of concluding long-term contracts. The document is concluded based on the results of an open tender, which takes place on the site of the Single Distributor. The winners of the competition conclude a contract for 10 years. This guarantees the sustainability of the national pharmaceutical industry and the continuity of investments. Thus, the Single Distributor signed 92 off-take contracts for 10 years with 34 Kazakhstan manufacturers for the supply of 761 medicines and 3924 medical devices.
The issue of the quality and safety of medicines and medical devices in the Republic was not left without attention.
At the meeting of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the development of the medical and pharmaceutical industry, it was noted that Kazakhstan should provide its citizens with high-quality medicines of its own production. Thus, domestic manufacturers need to focus on the composition of their products in terms of ensuring the transfer of advanced technologies, localizing the production of original, innovative drugs.
To date, the ST-KZ certificate confirms that the goods are manufactured in Kazakhstan and represents preferences from the state in the form of a 10-year off-take contract for the supply of medicines and medical devices under the GVFMC and CSHI. The participants of the meeting put forward topical issues of issuing a certificate of origin for internal circulation of ST-KZ and contract manufacturing of medicines.
The fourth issue was the report on the work of the contact center of SK-Pharmacy LLP. Public members were presented with a detailed report on incoming requests from the population on issues of drug provision. The total number of calls for the period from January 01, 2022 to August 31, 2022 was 25,336. Of these, 22,222 were complaints and appeals on drug provision issues with registration of a client card. 4062 calls were informational calls on the activities of the Single Distributor. The largest number of requests was received from the capital – 4620, then the list is East Kazakhstan region – 2499, the city of Almaty closes the top three – 2311. Most of the questions received were related to diabetes mellitus.
The event also discussed the centralization of the medical equipment procurement and presented the measures taken to switch to the central medical equipment procurement in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Procurement centralization is planned to be carried out in two stages. In the future, the Program for medical equipping in priority areas until 2025 will be approved with the identification of funding sources.
Particular attention is paid to the comprehensive maintenance of medical equipment and ongoing training of medical staff. This will significantly increase the volume and quality of medical services provided to the population and reduce the costs of their provision through the effective use of medical equipment by healthcare organizations.
Currently, a substantive study of the issues of localization of production is being carried out with foreign and domestic manufacturers of medical equipment. As a result of this work, an advisory list of equipment for localization in Kazakhstan will be formed, which will be worked out in detail by the medical and expert community, with regional health departments and medical organizations.
The final issue of the meeting for discussion was the issue of revising the composition and amending the Regulations on the Public Working Group.
In order to ensure the transparency of the activities of the Single Distributor, amendments were initiated to the Regulations on the Public Working Group in terms of involving members of the public in the anti-corruption activities of the company. As stated in the Concept of Anti-Corruption Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, strengthening the role of civil society in combating corruption is one of the approaches to developing anti-corruption policy.
As you can know, the activities of public councils and working groups are a tool to ensure openness and control by citizens. Involvement of the public in the activities of the company as an effective tool for the prevention of corruption and other offenses. After the revision of the composition and introduction of the Regulations, it is planned to approve the relevant work plans of the Working Group for the coming period.
The measures presented by the company are taken voluntarily, which indicates that the goals of the Single Distributor are primarily achieved in compliance with the principle of openness, transparency and zero tolerance for any illegal manifestations.
At the end of the meeting, the speakers answered the questions of the participants. In turn, public figures voiced proposals to ensure broad and active participation of civil society in the work carried out by the Single Distributor.
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