After Mauritius, now Nepal has approached India to set up Jan Aushadhi Kendras in that country, which would allow its citizens to benefit from low cost ‘Made in India’ generic medicines.
Earlier, Mauritius became the first country to adopt the ‘Jan Aushadhi Scheme’, enabling it to source about 250 high quality medicines from the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India.
“Mauritius has now asked India to provide it verification for 33 drugs that form part of the Jan Aushadhi drug package. Additionally, Nepal has also shown interest in getting the facility,’’ a senior Health Ministry official said.
The Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is a flagship Central government scheme under which quality generic medicines are made available at affordable prices via dedicated outlets called Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK). India currently has over 10,000 PMBJKs across the country.
The scheme is being implemented by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India, an autonomous society under the Department of Pharmaceuticals.
A press release by the Central government said the scheme, “aims to make available quality medicines and surgical items at affordable prices for all and thereby reduce out-of-pocket expenditure of consumers/patients and popularise generic medicines among the masses”.
“Product basket of PMBJP comprises 1965 medicines and 293 surgical equipment covering all major therapeutic groups such as anti-infectives, anti-diabetics, cardiovasculars, anti-cancers, gastro-intestinal medicines, etc., which are available for sale through these kendras,” the press release also stated. In 2023, 206 medicines and 13 surgical equipment were added to the product basket.
The press release added that, in 2022-23, the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India registered sales of ₹1,235.95 crore, which led to savings of approximately ₹7,416 crore to citizens. In the current financial year (2023-24), up to November 30, 2023, the bureau had notched up sales of ₹935.25 crore, which led to savings of approximately ₹4,680 crore for citizens. In the past nine years, the press release said, approximately ₹23,000 crore had been thus saved.
