-By ArdorComm News Network
March 16, 2022
Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed the Rajya Sabha that sales of affordable quality generic medicines under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) reached Rs 814.21 crore in the current fiscal, resulting in an estimated savings of about Rs 4,800 crore for citizens. The union minister said in a statement laid on the table of the Upper House that PMBJP was established with the goal of making quality generic medications accessible to all at affordable costs through dedicated outlets.
Until February 28, 2022, roughly 8,689 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) had been opened under the plan, he noted, encompassing all districts of the country. “Total sales of Rs 814.21 crore were achieved during the current financial year (until February 28, 2022), which has resulted in an estimated savings of approximately Rs 4,800 crore to the citizens,” Mandaviya said, stressing that Jan Aushadhi medicines are 50-90 percent cheaper than market prices of branded medicines.
“During the two years of COVID-19 pandemic, the PMBJP accomplished a sale of Rs 665.83 crore during the financial year 2020-21,” the minister wrote in response to another question, “which has resulted in savings of around Rs 4,000 crore to the citizens as opposed to branded medicines.” In response to another question, he said that the PMBJP’s product basket now includes 1,616 medicines and 250 surgical items that cover all major therapeutic groups, including cardiovascular, anticancers, anti-diabetics, anti-infectives, anti-allergic, gastro-intestinal medicines, and nutraceuticals, among others.
The government is working to expand the range of generic drugs and surgical procedures available. He went on to say that it is a continual process that is based on feedback from numerous stakeholders as well as market demands.
Mandaviya responded to another question by saying, “The government has set a target to have about 10,500 PMBJKs by March 2025 across the country. The target for the year 2022-23 is to have about 9,300 PMBJKs across the country.”
Source: PTI