The Meghalaya cabinet on August 8 approved the state free drugs policy in line with the national free drugs policy under which 72 medicines would be supplied free of cost to all government hospitals and health centres in the state from district hospitals to health sub centres and dispensaries in rural areas.

He said the expenditure would be borne between the Centre under the National Health Mission and the state government on the ratio of 90:10. “This policy has been adopted in line with the policy of the Central government,” Mr Tynsong said. He said the cabinet decision assumed importance in the wake of complaints that enough medicines were not available on many occasions in government-run hospitals and health centres in the state. The deputy chief minister said the requirement of medicines outside the list of 72 
items, he said that if such requirement arises, the government would have to procure.