New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) A total of 16,912 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) have been opened till June, under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana scheme, said Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel in the Parliament on Tuesday.

In in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Patel noted that the scheme aims to make quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all.

About 2,110 medicines and 315 surgicals, medical consumables and devices are under the scheme product basket.

It also covers all major therapeutic groups, such as cardiovascular, anti-cancers, anti-diabetic, anti-infectives, anti-allergic and gastro-intestinal medicines and nutraceuticals. Almost all generic medicines included in the National List of Essential Medicines, except lab reagents and vaccines, are included in the scheme product basket.

“In the last 11 years, estimated savings of about Rs 38,000 crore have accrued to citizens in comparison to the prices of branded medicines, Patel said.

The JAKs also contributed “significantly to the sharp reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure by households from 62.6 per cent of total health expenditure in financial year (FY) 2014-15 to 39.4 per cent in FY2021-22,” she added citing data from the National Health Accounts Estimates.

Uttar Pradesh (3,550) has the highest number of JAKs, followed by Kerala (1,629), Karnataka (1,480) and Tamil Nadu (1,432).

The MoS also informed of the government’s “target to open 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras by March 2027”.

In opening of JAKs, the government has adopted a franchisee-like model, in which online applications from individual entrepreneurs, non-governmental organisations, societies, trusts, firms, private companies, etc. are invited online through the website of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India from across the country, including in various blocks and tehsils.

Under the stocking mandate, the JAK owners become eligible for claiming incentive based on stocks of the said 200 medicines maintained by them.

“For smooth supply and product availability at JAKs, an end-to-end IT-enabled supply chain system has been established, comprising a central warehouse, four regional warehouses and 39 distributors appointed across the country,” Patel said.

“Availability of 400 fast-moving products is monitored regularly to ensure their availability. Further, a minimum stocking mandate has been implemented for 200 medicines consisting of the 100 top-selling medicines in the scheme product basket and 100 fast-selling medicines in the market,” the MoS added.

–IANS

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