The Prime Minister Narendra Modi is emphasising on easy availability of generic medicines but empty shelves greet patients at the generic medicine shop located at the associated hospital of the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC).
The hospital authorities have recently transferred the operation of the store called as Jan Aaushadhi Kendra (JAK) to the Red Cross society but the society has not started the operation of the facility. The society was expected to start the store from May 01 but it is learnt that the society is yet to apply for the necessary license at the office of Drug controller. In such a scenario the chances of proper functioning of store appear bleak till end of this month. After its decision to hand over the JAK to Red Cross Society the hospital had stopped purchasing medicines for it due to which the patients are returning empty handed from the store now.
The pharmacist posted at the JAK confirmed that the stock of medicines in the store is almost finished.
The hospital authorities were operating the JAK with a profit margin of only 10 percent due to which patients were getting very cheap medicines from the store. The Red Cross Society though has not decided on the profit margin but if it sticks to the profit margin pattern followed in other stores run by it then the prices of the medicines at the store are expected to increase.
When contacted, the secretary of the Dehradun Red Cross Society, Dr M S Ansari told The Pioneer that the society has recruited the staff for the store.
He said that the society would apply for licence in one or two days and after getting the license the operation of the store would start. Dr Ansari said that the issues like profit margin of the store would be decided by the managing committee.
On normal days, the JAK of the hospital used to draw 80-100 patients per day and had a monthly sale of Rs 2.5 lakh to 3 lakhs. Despite antipathy of the doctors – as they prefer to prescribe branded medicines as the companies offer hefty commissions to them- the JAK draws good number of patients as very cheap medicines are available here.
The JAKs were launched amid much fanfare on the occasion of state foundation day in the year 2009. Initially Rajasthan Drug Pharmaceutical limited (RDPl) operated the centre but later the Hospital Management Committee headed by the District Magistrate (DM) took over its operation. When the erstwhile Doon hospital became part of the GDMC, this committee ceased to exist and the medical college started its operation. The college has now transferred the responsibly on the Red Cross society.