Jan Aushadhi Kendras, right dose for poor patients 

Jan Aushadhi Kendras in Karnataka are seeing an average daily footfall of 150 with people coming forward to avail cheaper medicines, said field officers under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

A field officer from Bengaluru, Anupam Pathak, said, “Several kendras in the state are performing exceedingly well and at our kendra, revenues have crossed Rs 1 crore annually.”

He said the aim of kendras is to make quality medicines available at affordable prices. Medicines at Jan Aushadhi Kendras are 50-70 per cent cheaper as compared to regular pharmacies. Medicines for cancer, diabetes, blood pressure and several other ailments are available here at affordable rates. From April 2022 to Feb 2023, medicines worth Rs 170.44 crore were sold across the state. At present, 1,050 kendras are functioning across 31 districts in the state providing 1,076 medicines and 145 surgical and consumables.

The yojana has also increased employment opportunities to people, by encouraging them to run the kendras and earn incentives on the basis of their monthly sales. On March 7, Jan Aushadhi Diwas was celebrated across the country, urging all public and private entities to come forward and start such kendras in their local areas to increase the availability of cheaper medicines to poor people.

Doctors said that people from all strata of society suffer from diseases, but the rich do not get affected much as they can afford better treatment. Poor people end up bearing the brunt of it as often a large chunk of their salaries gets utilised for treatment and buying medicines. These kendras have helped them by making medicines affordable