Bengaluru: The state government is contemplating to open around 200 Jan Aushadi (generic) medical stores across the state under Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadi Yojana (PMJAY) for the benefit of poor patients, according to Minister for Health K R Ramesh Kumar.
Speaking with media persons here on Tuesday, Minister Ramesh Kumar said the proposed generic medical stores at government hospitals in the state would be maintained by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). “We are giving top priority for Red Cross Society to maintain the generic medical stores at government hospitals. We also consider other NGOs for the maintenance of generic medical stores. These NGOs should have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Health Department for the maintenance of generic medical stores. Each generic store is eligible to get Rs 2.50 lakh from the Central Government,’’ Minister Ramesh Kumar said.
Expressing shock over the cost difference between branded medicine and generic medicine manufactured by the same pharmaceutical company, the minister said the difference of price was more than 60 per cent. “We have given instructions to doctors working at government hospitals not to prescribe branded medicines instead of generic medicines. We do not want patients end up paying extra money for the medicines,’’ the minister said.
He said the state government was also contemplating to introduce drug procurement policy to prevent procuring medicines unnecessarily. “I found a huge stockpile of drugs past their expiry dates at government hospitals in Kolar district. The worth of these medicines is around Rs 60 lakh. One can imagine the worth of stockpile of drugs past their expiry dates at government hospitals across the state,’’ he said.
On the filling up vacancies at government hospitals in the state, the minister said the department of health had already taken measures to fill up 75 per cent to 80 per cent of vacancies at government hospitals. “All the vacancies will be filled up at government hospitals by the end of November,’’ he said.
He also said there was no proposal to open saloons at the government hospitals. “We will engage the services of barbers at government hospitals. Each hospital will have one or two barbers for the benefit of patients,’’ he said.
