Shillong, Aug 8: The Meghalaya cabinet has approved the free drugs policy to be implemented in the state which provides the supply of various medicines to all government-run hospitals and health centres in the state.

Deputy Chief Minister and spokesperson of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, Prestone Tynsong told reporters that the free drugs policy of the state has a list of 72 items of medicines to be supplied free of cost to all government hospitals and health centres in the state including health sub centres and dispensaries.

Tynsong said that the free drugs policy is in line with the policy of the Central government and the expenditure for the implementation of this policy is 90 per cent by the Centre through its National Health Mission, and 10 per cent by the State government.

There have been complaints that enough medicines were not available in government-run hospitals and health centres in the state which forced patients to buy from outside pharmacies.