The Government has notified the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy, 2012 (NPPP-2012) where it has also been proposed to regulate and control the prices of National List of Essential Medicines – 2011.
In order to provide relief to the common man in the area of healthcare, a countrywide campaign in the name of ‘Jan Aushadhi Campaign’ was initiated by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India, in collaboration with the State Governments, by way of opening up of Jan Aushadhi Generic Drug Stores in the Government Hospitals by way of supply of medicines through the Central Pharma Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs), to make available quality generic medicines at affordable prices to all.
Under this campaign, it is intended to open at least one Jan Aushadhi Store in every district of the country to begin with, followed by at least five stores in each district so as to have 3150 stores by the end of the 12th plan, wherever the State Governments extend their support and cooperation in allotting the space in the Government Hospitals or at any other suitable locations and also identify the agencies amongst Hospitals/NGOs/ Charitable/ Cooperative/Government bodies to manage such stores.
So far, 147 Jan Aushadhi Stores have been opened )upto 31.01.2013) in the country, spread over the twelve States, namely, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, including UT of Chandigarh.
Efforts are on to open more stores in the country with the collaboration of State Governments. However, much depends upon the prevailing health policy or the health programme being followed by the respective State Governments, in order to determine the feasibility and the viability for opening/managing such stores and also the extent of support and cooperation the State Governments provide in allotting the space in more number of places including identification of the agency to manage such stores, besides ensuring the cooperation of the Government Doctors in prescribing generic medicines.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers, Srikant Kumar Jena in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
