Highlighting the Centre’s steps in the health sector for the benefit of the poor and the middle class, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Government controlled the price of over 800 medicines required for treating diseases such as cancer and tuberculosis, while the "jan aushadhi kendras" have helped people save money.
Modi also interacted with "Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana" beneficiaries via video-conferencing on the occasion of "Jan Aushadhi Diwas" and took feedback from them about the scheme. The Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is a campaign launched by Department of Pharmaceuticals to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses.
PMBJP stores have been set up to provide generic drugs, which are available at cheaper prices but are equivalent to expensive branded drugs in quality and efficacy. Modi said while people of other countries had to pay thousands for a vaccine dose, the Government made efforts from day one to ensure that people do not have to pay for vaccines against COVID-19 and the free vaccination drive is run successfully.
"Our government has spent over Rs 30,000 crore on this, so that the people of the country remain healthy," he said.
Modi asserted that while the jan aushadhi kendras are centres for medicines for the body, they are also centres to provide relief to people as they help them save money.
He said the jan aushadhi kendras have reduced the anxiety of people over the cost of medicines.
"If we look at the figures of this fiscal, then medicines worth over Rs 800 crore have been sold from the jan aushadhi kendras. This means that this year itself, the poor and the middle class were able to save about Rs 5,000 crore...Till now, about Rs 13,000 crore have been saved," Modi said.