Jan Aushadhi Kendra to open at Chandigarh's Sector 16 hospital this week

Naina Mishra

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Chandigarh, November 6

After a halt of three years, Jan Aushadhi Kendra is all set to open at Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, here, this week.

UT Health Secretary Yashpal Garg said: “Another Jan Aushadhi Kendra is set to open at the GMCH-32 after the tendering process is finalised. The licence for the Jan Aushadhi Kendra at the GMSH-16 has been allotted and it is all set to open this week. With the opening of the centre, patients will be able to purchase affordable generic medicines without any hassle. Doctors will be encouraged to prescribe generic drugs so that the centre can function smoothly.”

Jan Aushadhi Kendras provide high-quality generic medicines at comparatively cheaper rates than branded medicines. The centres were open to popularise generic medicines among the masses and dispel the prevalent notion that low priced generic medicines are of inferior quality or are less effective.

Quality medicines, consumables and surgical items are available at affordable prices for all at these centres. The city at present has two Jan Aushadi Kendras at the PGI.

In 2018, the UT Health Department had allotted space in the Civil Hospitals of Sector 45 and 22 and the Mani Majra Civil Hospital to the Chandigarh Red Cross Society to run Jan Aushadi Kendras. For the past few years, the medical shops that were earlier operated by the Red Cross Society had remained shut as the organisation expressed its inability to operate these during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The city is set to open three new chemist shops at the Civil Hospital-22, Mani Majra and Sector 45. Besides, three new chemist shops are being opened up at the GMSH-16, including one Jan Aushadhi Kendra. This is being done to break the monopoly of single chemist shop at the GMSH-16, who was running its operation in the hospital for the past 29 years.

“With more chemist shops being opened up, patients will be able to buy medicines from anywhere instead of rushing to a single chemist shop even in the late hours. These shops will run round the clock for the ease of patients,” said Garg.