Centre targets to complete 10,000 Janaushadhi centres by Dec this year: Union Health Minister

By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], February 28 : Government aims to achieve 10,000 Janaushadhi Kendras in a Country by end of the year, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Department of Pharmaceuticals Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said.
"As on January 31 this year, the number of stores increased to 9082. Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), 743 districts of the nation have been covered," the ministry said.
"The Government has set a target to increase the number of Kendras to 10,000 by the end of December 2023," it added.
This scheme ensures the easy reach of affordable medicine to the people in every nook and corner of the country.
The Government has set a target to increase the number of PMBJKs to 10,000 by the end of December 2023. The product basket of PMBJP comprises 1,759 drugs and 280 surgical instruments. Further, new medicines and nutraceutical products like protein powder, malt-based food supplements, protein bars, immunity bars, sanitisers, masks, glucometers, oximeters, etc., have also been launched, the statement further said.
According to the ministry, Medicines available under PMBJP are priced 50 pc-90 pc less than that branded prices. During the financial year (2021-22), PMBJP has achieved sales of Rs 893.56 crores (at MRP). This has led to savings of approximately Rs 5,360 crores for the common citizens of the country.
Department of Pharmaceuticals is celebrating the fifth 'Jan Aushadhi Diwas' on March 7 and events have been planned in different cities across the country, starting from March 1, to raise awareness about the Jan Aushadhi Scheme, said the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers on Monday.
As per the Ministry, "Seminars, programs for children, women and NGO's, heritage walks, health camps and many other activities engaging PMBJKs owners, beneficiaries, State/UT officials, public representatives, doctors, health workers, nurses, pharmacists and Jan Aushadhi Mitra's are being organised at different locations across the country covering all State/UTs."
The PMBJP comprises 1759 drugs and 280 surgical instruments. Further, new medicines and nutraceutical products like protein powder, malt-based food supplements, protein bars, immunity bars, sanitisers, masks, glucometers, oximeters, etc. have been also launched.
The ministry further said that the highest number of Janaushadhi Kendras are in Uttar Pradesh.
Mandaviya also said that recently, during the occasion of the conference held last week on PMBJP, the High Commissioner of Gambia Mustapha Jawara who was present at the conference appreciated the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana.
Notably, Mustapha Jawara had called the session "awakening".
"The program had its awakening for me to know that this is well. In my office would be...in many fields of commercial recoveries so that we can customize the whole model to fix our needs in Gambia," he had said.
"I think the conference is a transforming experience. Having access to these pharmaceuticals is important, especially in Gambia. I am sure you are all aware of the share of the cases, just because of lack of proper testing of quality medicines, this would often, especially in a country like the Gambia opportunity to kind of have access to these pharmaceuticals is important," he had further said.