Taking inspiration from PM’s commitment towards Jan Aushadhi write prescriptions by Generic name

PM is ‘single handedly’ taking stresses on all economic & social fronts like Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna.
Even after 14 Yrs of launch Jan Aushadi Medicines have not taken even 0.5% of Pharma Market?
Why so when Jan Aushadhi Medicines bear very Genuine Price tags as compared to Branded Generic Medicines?

DAYA SAGAR

Imagine how many shops of medicines may be there in a country like India having 6,50,000 or so villages where the patent free / generic drugs under brand names may be being sold with unreasonably inflated MRPs but still Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) has set a Target for opening only 10,500 PMBJP Kendras (Jan Aushadhi shops ) in India upto March, 2025 for a programme (Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana-PMBJP, very intimate flagship programme of PM Narendra Modi ) of such a high public interest economic welfare which can benefit all segments of society without any financial burden on government & additionally bringing fortunes to sick Central Government Public sector Enterprises that are part of Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI). Surely Prime Minister is not being provided real feedback from ground situations and it appears he is ‘single handedly’ taking stresses on all economic & social fronts. Very less people may be able to tell the name of Min for Health and Family Welfare (Mansukh Mandaviya ) and MOS Chemical & Fertilizers and New & Renewable energy (Bhagwanth Khuba ) who directly concerned ministers.
It has been on the initiative of the Prime Minister that since 2019 the 7th March is being “celebrated” as “Jan Aushadhi Diwas” every year for enhancing awareness about the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) scheme and promoting generic medicines. Department of Pharmaceuticals / PMBI has said on the eve 5th Jan Aushadhi Divas (2023) that “The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana is a flagship scheme of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers and claimed that (PMBJP) has made significant impact to the lives of common people. Taking out indicators from the subjects discussed herein should the Department claim that the PMBJP has made significant impact?
There is immediate need for examining the reasons for such a good public interest programme started in 2008 ( in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking so much intimate interest since 2014 ) taking off so slowly even after 15 years . There is need to even recast the promotional slogans and explanations like providing quality generic medicines at an affordable price which should be something like “providing medicines at genuine prices and set immediate priority on ensuring that atleast all government doctors prescribe medicines where ever possible by technical name / chemical name/ generic name.The Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna ( banners display “medicines available under PMBJP are priced 50%-90% less than that of branded prices”) is now in it’s 15th year and even if we take that the MRP at drug Aushadhi stores is 50% less than others in the ‘ patent free drug trade’ Indian patients ( rich or poor ) could be said to be still being unfairly fleeced by atleast INR 150000 to INR 160000 Cr in a year even after 2008 since as per Financial Report 2021-22 of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India ( PMBI) that is handling the marketing of the medicines & medical devices sold under the banner of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) of Deptt. of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India, Revenue ending year 31 march 2023 has been only Rs.790.1 Cr, year ending 31 March 2022 has been only INR.567.58 Cr (INR 567, 57,93,922) only and ending year 31 march 2021 it was INR 430.1 Cr only (INR 430,09,73,403). The revenue of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India ( PMBI) includes sales of medical devices as well as surgical appliances. So it could be said that the Pariyojna has not succeeded in relieving the unfair trade burden on the common man inspite Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking very intimate interest for promoting the sale from Jan Aushadhi Kendras pointedly after 2016-17. Let us not go into exactness in the figures and take the data quoted here only to have an idea of trade share that Jan Aushadhi Campaign might have been possibly able to secure even after 15 yrs of its launch by GOI through BPPI (later named Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India -PMBI). One would ask why has not the PMBI / Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers been able to carry the programme even when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has involved his person intimately with Pariyojna and is always there to extend all help ?It will not be an over statement to say that it has been / is only PM alone who is practically & religiously committed to PMBJAP and has been promoting it ‘daily’ even outside events like Jan Aushadhi Divas/week . BPPI/ PMBI have in a way failed to follow up with the governments for enforcement of prescription writing by even Govt. Doctors .JA campaign has not received needed support from the practicing / prescription writing doctors ( no doubt there are some like Dr. Nishu G skin specialist in Sub District Hospital Sarwal Jammu who in routine write by chemical name, but surely are very in number such doctors must be recognised).
It is not out of place to mention here that medicines if prescribed under generic/ technical name, instead messages ‘flash’ by some introducing Generic medicines as inferior medicines and is why they are cheap. Government ‘people’ also introduce JA medicines at occasions as ‘affordable” medicines, “cheap” medicines and as even medicines for the poor which too makes negative impact where as these medicines should be introduced as “genuinely” priced medicines. PMBI/related institutions rarely are seen working on ground/ visiting doctors for promoting prescription writing by chemical name which has resulted in very slow growth in JA Aushadhi client traffic which is discouraging for entrepreneurs too . Even half hearted media campaigns by political leaders as well as the marketing personnel too have been pointing in wrong directions with slogans like “cheap medicines” , “medicines for the poor”, “programme of the government for the poor”, even some go to the extent of saying that the Jan Aushadhi medicines are costing less since government contributes; whereas(a) The JA drugs cost less because they are genuinely / fairly priced but others in market are with inflated margins (b) There is no subsidy from the Government on JA Drugs (c) The Jan Aushadhi Drugs are not to save money only of the poor but are for all citizens, Help the Pariyojna.
(The author is Sr Journalist, social activist and analyst J&K affairs).