228 Jan Aushadhi Kendras providing quality, affordable medicare to people at doorsteps
With dedication of 108 Jan Aushadhi Kendras to people of Jammu and Kashmir by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the UT now has 228 Kendras functional with high standard and quality medicines, surgical equipments and other requisite services available at affordable prices. Such developments in the healthcare world of J&K has tremendously helped the ailing here in availing the best medicare within the UT that too in a total hassle free and transparent manner. The people here now are completely satisfied and happy with the qualitative and quantitative improvement in healthcare utilities at their door-steps which has also reduced their out of pocket expenditure on this account.
An official of health department said that the initiative will popularize generic medicines among the masses and dispel prevalent notion that low priced generic medicines are of inferior quality or are less effective. On May 9, 2011, the first store was opened at Red Cross Building Exchange Road Srinagar after Jan Aushadhi scheme was launched in the year 2010.
The Jan Aushadhi outlets known as Jan Aushadhi Kendras are becoming popular for providing generic medicines at affordable rates with quality and efficiency at par with branded medicine.
According to official data, 11 centers have been set-up in Jammu, 2 in Doda, 9 in Poonch, 5 in Rajouri, 3 in Ramban, 6 in Reasi, 10 in Samba, 4 in Kathua and 2 in Udhampur districts of Jammu region. Similarly, 8 such centers have been set up in Srinagar, 6 in Pulwama, 6 in Ganderbal, 5 in Bandipora, 10 in Kupwara, 6 in Anantnag, 1 in Shopian, 4 in Kulgam, 5 in Baramulla and 6 in Budgam districts of Kashmir region.
These Kendras have been established within the government health care institutions in tertiary care hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar, District Hospitals, Sub District Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres which also covered far flung areas like Arnas, Darmi (Reasi), Sedow (Shopian) Tangdar, Kalarose and Sogam (Kupwara) to make available affordable and quality medicines available to people. Procurement of Janaushadhi products is being executed through e-tender portal (CPPP) of Government of India while following SAP based inventory management. Besides, the administration has put in place an effective mechanism of blacklisting and debarring of vendors, suppliers and manufacturers for failure in supply and penalty for late delivery. As per quality of medicines is concerned, two tier quality assurance is being maintained by procuring medicines only from WHO-GMP certified companies and testing through laboratories accredited by NABL. Meanwhile, the scheme is doing justice to its tagline ‘Janaushadi-Seva Bhi, Rozgar Bhi’ by providing medicines to common citizens of the country at a price cheaper by 50 per cent to 90 per cent of average market price, at the same time providing self employment with sustainable and regular earnings to unemployed youth. Also, affordable sanitary napkins are being made available in these stores to improve the menstrual hygiene management. The central government is contemplating to increase number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras to 10,000 across the country by March 2024. As on October 10, 2021, the number of Janaushadhi Kendras has increased to 8,366 covering 736 districts in the country. The product basket of PMBJP comprises of 1,451 drugs and 240 surgical instruments. Medicines available under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) are priced around 50 per cent to 90 per cent less than that of branded medicines.
