JAMMU: Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education, Atal Dulloo today convened a meeting of all the concerned to review the establishment of low price Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushaudi Kendra’s and AMRIT (Affordable Medicines & Reliable Implants for Treatment) Pharmacies across J&K.
Dulloo asked the concerned to establish these low price medical stores wherever they are scheduled to be established. He urged them to make all medicines and implants available at these stores.
The meeting was attended by Dr Shashi Sudhan Sharma, Principal Government Medical College, Jammu; Dr Renu Sharma, Director Health Services, Jammu; Satvir Kour Sudan, DG Planning (H&ME), Lotika Khajuria, State Drug Controller; Project Coordinators of Jan Aushaudi and AMRIT Pharmacies, and other Medical Superintendents and health officers.
Dr Samia Rashid, Principal GMC, Srinagar, Dr Samir Mattoo, Director Health Services, Kashmir, Principals of other Medical Colleges and Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents of Kashmir division based hospitals participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
The FC asked the officers about the working and demand of medicines from these stores wherever they are functional. He asked them to provide the list of stores not performing well so that the problems faced by each of them are addressed preferentially.
Dulloo directed the officers to expedite the establishment of 32 more identified centres in Kashmir division and make them functional before the end of February. Similarly he asked them to make 42 stores of Jammu division functional before the end of March.
The FC further asked them that these stores provide affordable medicines therefore happens to be life-giving to poor patients. He advised them to explore the possibility of establishing these stores in all the major hospitals including GMCs and District Hospitals at an earliest so that all the patients get benefitted.
Dulloo also directed to look for ways and means to make all medicines and surgical implants available at these stores at the prices lower than the market. He desired that people should look for these stores and ask for them. He asked them to resolve the grievances regarding unavailability of certain medicines or implants forthwith and make everything available readily as prescribed by the medicos.
The FC was informed that Jan Aushaudi Kendras provides affordable medicines at a reduced cost of about 50-70% providing around 625 drug molecules. It was further informed that 90 kendras are currently functional and 75 more in offing across J&K.
It was given in the meeting that these stores operate on profit margin of 20% only sharing 5% to hospital development fund by the registered pharmacists selected by the committee. Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India (BPPI) shall provide one time financial assistance upto Rs 2.50 lakh to the kendras run by government, the meeting was informed.
The meeting revealed that from April, 2019 till date drugs worth Rs 17.82 crore has been dispensed to approximately 1,35,000 patients through these stores.
The meeting revealed that under AMRIT more than 5200 drugs, implants, surgical disposables and consumables are available at a discount up to a range of 50% on Maximum Retail Price.
There are some 12 AMRIT stores operational in the tertiary care hospitals of J&K. These stores have dispensed drugs and implants worth Rs 27.35 crore benefitting approximately 3.31 lakh patients with a saving of Rs 14.50 crore. These stores are providing medicines and implants even to Golden Card patients covered under Ayushman Bharat, as was discussed in the meeting.
The meeting resolved that in coming days the stores will be established in all the newly established Medical Colleges and District Hospitals as the MoU with the drug company already stands signed regarding the same.
