Nagaland, along with the rest of the country, observed Jan Aushadhi Diwas at NHAK Auditorium, Kohima on 7 March 2023, a DIPR report stated.
Commissioner & Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Nagaland, Y. Kikheto Sema, IAS said that Jan Aushadhi Diwas, an initiative of the Prime minister Narendra Modi, was celebrated on 7 March every year for enhancing awareness about the scheme and promoting genetic medicines.
He said this scheme has significantly impacted the lives of the common people by providing quality medicines at affordable prices. He also said that during the last few years, the number of Jan Aushadhi stores has grown to more than ninety thousand covering almost all the districts of the country.
The product basket has been enhanced by more than 1700 drugs and 280 surgical and these medicines are at least 50% cheaper and, in some cases, up to 80-90% cheaper than the market price of the branded medicines, Sema added.
The Commissioner & Secretary of H&FW lamented that although this concept is quite popular in many parts of the country, in our state there is no dedicated warehouses in Dimapur, and we have to place an order from other states. And also due to the lack of courier service in many districts, poor people cannot avail this facility, he said.
He encouraged the gathering to create awareness in the minds of the public that the low cost of the Jan Aushadhi medicines was not due to poor quality but rather for the benefit of the poorer section of the people. All medicines are tested in National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
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Nodal Officer Sr. Specialist Dr. Lozino Peseyie, NHAK presented a PowerPoint on the topic ‘Jan Aushadhi Experience of lesser privileged patients’ where she talked about the mission objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) and the characteristics of the Jan Aushadhi products. She also talked about ‘generic drug/medicine’ and why generic medicines cost less and give quality assurance on the products.
Dr. Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital, Mokokchung was awarded with the best performing Kendras in the state.
Earlier, Dr. Vibeituonuo M. Sachu, Principal Director H&FW chaired the programme while Managing Director NHAK Dr. Sendimeren Aonok delivered the vote of thanks.
