New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today urged people to buy medicines from Janaushadhi Kendras at affordable cost.
While interacting with ‘Janaushadhi Diwas’ celebrations through video conference, PM Modi said that due to affordability, patients are taking the required medicines leading to better health outcomes. He praised the youth promoting the Janaushadhi movement and asked them to help in the ongoing vaccine drive.
He interacted with beneficiaries, Kendra Sanchalak, Jan Aushadhi Mitras at five locations – Shimla in Himachal Pradesh; Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh; Ahmedabad in Gujarat; Maruthi Nagar in Diu and Mangalore in Karnataka.
Speaking on the occasion, the PM noted that the Janaushadhi Yojana is becoming a big friend of poor and middle-class families. “It is becoming the medium of both service and employment. Dedication of 7500th centre of Janaushadhi at Shillong is an indication of spread of Janaushadhi Centers in the Northeast,” PM said while launching the 7500th Janaushadhi Kendra at NEIGRIHMS, Shillong.
The scheme is providing affordable medicine to people in hilly areas, Northeast and tribal areas, he said, adding that dedication of 7500th center is important as there were not even 100 centres in India six years ago. He asked to achieve the target of 10,000 centers.
“Poor and middle class families are saving about Rs 3600 crore every year on expensive medicines. The scheme is promoting ‘Aatamnirbharta’ among women as more than 1000 centers are being run by the women,” he said.
“In order to promote the scheme, incentive has been enhanced from 2.5 lakh to 5 lakh with additional incentive of 2 lakh for Dalit, Aadivasi women and people of the Northeast,” he added.
Pointing out the enormous burden of medical treatment on the poor families, the Prime Minister said that in the recent years, efforts are being made to remove all types of discrimination in the treatment and medical treatment has been made accessible to every poor person of the country.
“For this, prices of essential medicines, heart stents, knee surgery related equipment have been reduced manifold,” he said. He said that Ayushman Yojana has ensured free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh, for the country’s more than 50 crore poor families. So far, more than 1.5 crore people have taken advantage of it and saved about Rs 30000 crore, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers said in a statement.
-ARK
