A parliamentary committee has directed the government to normalise supply of medicines across the country.

A meeting of the Women, Children, Senior Citizens and Social Welfare Committee of the Legislature-Parliament on Friday instructed the Ministry of Health and Population to take effective measures to ensure smooth supply of medicines severely affected by India’s unofficial blockade.

“Medicines provided by foreign organisations could not be brought in and 300 containers carrying medicines are stuck on the border due to the blockade. The government should work seriously to normalise the situation,” committee Chairman Ranju Kumari Jha said.

According to Health Minister Ramjanam Chaudhary, there was a shortage of eight-nine varieties of drugs and the ministry has planned to take all possible measures, including re-routing of medicine cargoes stuck at the border, to handle the situation. Lawmaker Dhaniram Poudel demanded Nepal Oil Corporation provide fuel to the entities involved in the supply of medicines. The committee also instructed the Ministry of Youth and Sports to resolve disputes surfaced in the sports sector.