New Delhi: Amidst all the action over Telangana, there are some non-political bills that were ignored. The Rajya Sabha will take up the landmark amendment to the anti-Narcotics law which will help cancer patients manage their pain better on Friday.
Dr Ravindra from Pune is fighting for more than two decades to help patients who are denied a simple, pain relief, cost-effective drug called morphine because of a stringent act. The amendment to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act which makes access easier to Morphine has been waiting for attention for a long time in Parlianent
Dr Ravindra said, "Cancer pain is like someone beating you continuously with a stick. I lost my mother and in 2003 there was another loss in my family this time it was my Wife. I remember she used to moan in pain Only because there was no access to morphine."
Dr MR Rajagopal, Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences, said, "In the last 30 years, 99 per cent of Indian doctors have not seen a tablet of morphine. Unless Parliament enacts the amendment we all are going to suffer. You, me. our relatives everyone."
Oncologist at Apollo Hospital Dr Sameer Kaul said, "While the rest of the world has legalised the marijuana for cancer treatment we are still struggling with a tablet of morphine to be available legally in our country. Only 15 states in our country don't have access."
In the proposed amendment the aim is to simplifying the process of making morphine available for medicinal purposes. It also proposes to bring licensing under the State drugs controller.
It's available, it's not addictive, it's dirt cheap but what is surprising is our lawmakers don't find the time to clear the amendment that makes life a little better for people who are suffering from cancer and HIV Aids.
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