SECRETARY-GENERAL


and the handicapped. The existence of these complaints may mean that further policy options need to be developed with regard to the causes of unethical behaviour in hospitals and clinics.


Parliamentarians need to visit hospitals and clinics to listen to patients and their carers to learn the root causes of patients’ complaints. To me, this is one of the important


areas of health policy that requires consistent follow up.


The second source of public complaints is with regard to the distribution of drugs. In many developing countries, the drug industry is still highly unregulated and unsupervised. Pharmacies and shops appear to sell drugs unprofessionally; in some cases, expired or prescription drugs are sold


from the counter to ignorant and unsuspecting customers. I suggest that Parliamentarians, especially from developing countries of the Commonwealth, should seriously re-examine the drug industry, enacting where necessary new legislation to contain the negative effects on the population. I also believe that further


parliamentary oversight is needed to


curb corrupt practices surrounding the drug industry in several countries. I therefore wish to urge


Parliamentarians in both developed and developing countries, whether under ruling or opposition political parties, to find common policy grounds to sustain the monitoring of their national health services so as to benefit the entire population, rich or poor.


VIEW FROM THE


Commonwealth gallery


Ms Meenakshi Dhar (left) and Mr Joe Omorodion (far right), pictured with the Speaker of British Columbia Legislative Assembly, Ms Linda Reid, (centre) the Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr Gary Lenz, (second left) and the Clerk, Mr Craig James (second right).


Participants from the Royal Institution of Public Administration (RIPA) meeting with the Secretary- General at the CPA Secretariat.


The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue Four | 245


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124