Control over availability and accessibility of essential painkillers, such as morphine by India has led World Health Organization (WHO) to criticise the Indian authorities.
WHO has called the use of opioid analgesics, such as morphine ‘sub-optimal’ in India. In the ministers' summit in Netherland, attended by health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, a report titled “Responsible Use of Medicines" was released. The report has asked India to "reduce redundant paperwork and the administrative burden of prescribing/dispensing particular essential medicines to ensure appropriate patient access".
According to WHO’s estimation, around 83 per cent of total world population has poor access to medicines for the treatment of moderate to severe pains and twinges. Therefore, reassessing the policies or norms of dispensation of effective painkiller, morphine, in the Indian market will aid in adequate treatment of pain improving the patients’ quality of life in India.
Read: Treatment of Pain
The WHO report recommended the model the Kerala government had adopted to simplify the regulations of opioid procurement and use resulting in minimal misuse of the drug.