Inter-Departmental Coordination Key to Public Health: Health Minister
He called for the integration of the Food Safety and Drug Control Administration departments to ensure effective and coordinated functioning,
Hyderabad: Telangana Minister for Health, Medical & Family Welfare, and Science & Technology, C Damodara Raja Narasimha, on Tuesday reiterated that public health protection and access to safe food and medicines remain the government’s highest priority and called for better inter-departmental coordination to achieve these goals.
He called for integration of the Food Safety and Drug Control Administration departments to ensure effective and coordinated functioning during a review meeting held with Health Department officials at the Secretariat. The meeting was attended by Health Principal Secretary Christina Z Chongthu, Food Safety Commissioner S Sangeetha Satyanarayana, Drug Control Administration DG Avinash Mohanty, Employee Health Care Trust (EHCT) and the Rajiv Aarogyasri Health Care Trust CEO K Hanumanthu, and other senior officials.
Officials who visited other states presented best practices being followed there. The Minister directed them to study these models and prepare a roadmap to build a more robust system in Telangana.
Appreciating the departments for their current performance, the Minister said ensuring quality and safe food and standard-compliant medicines for citizens is the government’s top priority. He also stressed that protecting compliant food businesses is equally important. "Hotels, restaurants, and food companies that follow rules and provide quality food should not be harassed. Officials must act transparently and responsibly," he said.
Highlighting Hyderabad’s global standing in pharma and vaccine manufacturing, he asked officials to give special focus to promoting Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and upgrading quality standards to further strengthen the city’s reputation.
