Health Minister Viswajit Rane announced that Jan Aushadi counters will be opened at all pharmacies in the state. He also said that space will be made available in district hospitals for setting up Jan Aushqdi kendras. These kendras sell govt approved quality generic medicines which are around 60% to 80% cheaper than branded medicines. A strip of 10 capsules, for my gastro-intestinal problem costs Rs 120 . I approached a Jan Aushadi store and gave the pharmacist a strip of my capsules. He gave me a strip of generic tablets for only Rs 14. I checked the active ingredients on the strip and found it to be exactly the same as the branded capsules I had been taking earlier. Pharmaceutical firms only add some inconsequential ingredients to these generic grugs and sell them under their own brand names, hiking the cost several times over, reaping huge profits. To popularize generic medicines, govt will have to make it mandatory for all doctors in govt hospitals and dispensaries to prescribe only generic medicines unless generic alternatives are unavailable. Furthermore, govt must ensure that these generic medicines are easily available at all govt hospitals and dispensaries.
