Maharashtra FDA’s functions impacted by staff assignments to election duties

Consequently, drug regulation in Mumbai will be virtually non-existent for the next three months, resulting in halted medicine sampling, delayed processing of drug-related applications, and a rise in issues with pharmacies operating without prescriptions, as claimed by the FDA officers.

The impending festival season has heightened concerns among officials. “Every year before Diwali, we conduct statewide inspections to ensure the quality of sweets and prevent food adulteration, safeguarding consumers from harm. With our remaining workforce, we simply can’t manage that,” complained a senior FDA officer.

To mitigate these challenges, the new FDA commissioner —Rajesh Narvekar has requested the Mumbai Sub-District Collector’s office to release at least 30% of the senior FDA officers from their currently assigned election duties. “We have requested the collector’s office and are hopeful for some relief. Gradually, we will extend the same request to other collector offices across the state to regain our senior officers for essential duties. While we respect the importance of election duty, FDA responsibilities fall under essential services and cannot be overlooked,” an officer aware of the issue informed.

In light of these pressing concerns, the All Food and Drug Licence Holders Foundation has reached out to the Mumbai Collector, emphasising the implications of this decision. Abhay Pandey, president of the foundation, shared that currently, with all drug officers engaged in election duties, there are no officers available to attend to pressing public needs and essential regulatory activities. This situation jeopardises critical functions such as drug sampling, medical shop inspections, inspections of drug manufacturers, and the processing of medical device licences.

“The absence of FDA officers will severely hinder our ability to ensure the quality and safety of drugs and medical devices available to the public, which is a matter of significant concern for the health and well-being of the citizens of Mumbai. Therefore, I kindly request that you consider releasing some officers from election duty on an urgent basis. This will allow the FDA to resume its essential services and maintain the regulatory oversight necessary to protect public health,” reads the letter.

Talking to The Indian Express, Narvekar addressed the staff shortages within the state FDA, assuring that the department expects to onboard over 150 new employees in the next 2-3 months. “The preliminary and main examinations have been conducted, and we are now awaiting the results of the written exams and interviews. This process should be completed within the next 2-3 months, after which we anticipate hiring 175 new employees to fill many crucial positions,” he stated.