By Anuj Bhalla, Chandigarh,March 15,2012: The jan aushadhi campaign of govt. is not a success in even in the city like chandigarh. The jan aushadhi campaign is a total failure because of lack of implementation. The city got one jan aushadhi store each in its three big medical centre PGI sector 12, GH sector -16 and GMCH sector 32. The stores are out of stock and in worst shape.
There is no supply so there is no demand. Very few people are aware of the fact that there is a privilege of such kind which is available to them. Most of the people go for the medicine of a reputed brand which costs them almost 10 times more. “Doctors also don’t prescribe the medicines from jan aushadhi store. Sometimes they write the company name which drive people to go for some other medical store even if it’s of same salt but different company”said one of the jan aushadhi store keepers. It’s true that doctors also know that there is lack of stock at jan aushadhi centre but they can do the Wright thing by only mentioning the salt name.
PGI the biggest treatment centre in chandigarh got the worst jan aushadhi store.The store is in the place which is difficult to find and it is more difficult to recognize it as a medical store. It’s been almost 2 years since the campaign started but very few people took the advantage of the facility. These stores are under HAL- one of the Central Pharma Public Sector Undertakings. The new stock is not available and some of the old stock is getting expired.
When the scheme was started, govt. was very confident about it. It is a campaign which is open for all sections of the society which can be private or public or disadvantaged sections of the society. Generic equivalents are available for all branded drugs; the campaign provides access to any prescription drug or Over the Counter (OTC) drug for anybody. But nothing of such nature can happen unless there is medicine availed at the stores and importantly doctor prescribe for the same.