Centre opens 8,300 Jan Aushadhi Kendras covering all districts

New Delhi, Oct 6: The Centre has said it has completed the target of opening 8,300 Jan Aushadhi Kendras for the financial year 2021-22 before the end of the deadline.

The Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), implementing agency for Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), has completed the target of 8,300 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) covering all districts of the country before the deadline in September.

The number of Jan Aushadhi Kendra has increased to 8,355 so far across the country.

An effective IT-enabled logistics and supply-chain systems for ensuring real-time distribution of medicines at all outlets have also been introduced. These stores will ensure easy access of affordable medicine to the people in every part of the country. The centre has set a target to increase the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras to 10,000 to provide quality medicines at an affordable rate to the common man by March 2024.

The scheme presently comprises 1,451 drugs and 240 surgical instruments. Further, new medicines and nutraceutical products like glucometer, protein powder, malt-based food supplements, protein bar, immunity bar, etc have also been introduced.

A mobile application for PMBJP 'Janaushadhi Sugam' facilitates public with a digital platform at the tip of their fingers.

The medicines are procured from World Health Organization - Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) certified suppliers to ensure the quality of the products under the scheme.

All drugs are tested at laboratories accredited by 'National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories' (NABL) before dispatching to the centers. The medicines available under the PMBJP are priced 50 per cent to 90 per cent less than that of branded prices.