Consolidation, with attention to specific health needs of the community, will underpin future actions. No study has been done to assess the availability of essential drugs in remote facilities. The government, in consultation with the states and relevant agencies, has developed a national essential drugs list comprising over 300 drugs classified for use at the different levels of health care. This list serves as a guide to procuring agencies in central and state governments. The drugs available in India as compared to those in other countries are considered cost effective and there is a price control on 78 essential drugs.
Budgetary constraints do come in the way of essential drug availability in the public sector.
Work is in progress to bring out a compendium on the rational use of essential drugs. International partnerships in health Various international organizations and UN agencies have continued to provide significant technical and material assistance which has had a positive impact.