Delay in purchase of medicines has resulted in acute shortage of drugs in the Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) which were set up with a purpose of providing cheap generic medicines to the patients.
This delay is forcing the employees stationed at the JAK located at Doon hospital here to refuse medicines to the patients who visit them in hope of getting cheap medicines. It is learnt that the JAK of the biggest hospital of the State has stock of only 10 days for most of the medicines and many medicines are already out of stock. 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 took over them. Despite antipathy of the doctors — as they prefer to prescribe branded medicines as the companies offer hefty commissions to them- the JAK draws many patients as medicines are available at 20 -30 percent of the market rate. This centre draws 80-100 patients per day and has a monthly sale of `2.5 lakh to 3 lakhs. In absence of medicines the patients and their relatives are facing problems. Rakhi Sharma a resident of Karanpur said that it is surprising that medicines are not available at the centre which offers cheap medicines.
The Principal Medical Superintendent (PMS) of Doon hospital, Dr R S Aswal said that the medicines for the Jan Ayushadi centre of the hospital would be procured soon.