Janaushadhi Kendras rendered essential services in Covid-19 pandemic

We are in endgame of Covid-19 pandemic in India: Vardhan

New Delhi: Janaushadhi Kendras rendered essential services amid the COVID-19 pandemic, maintained regular operations and made medicines available to people, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday and highlighted that sale at these stores increased during the nationwide lockdown.Vardhan’s comments came on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the 7,500th Janaushadhi Kendra, which provides quality generic medicines at an affordable price, at the NEIGRIHMS in Shillong.The health minister stated that on March 7, 2019, Prime Minister Modi had declared that henceforth March 7 every year would be celebrated as Janaushadhi Diwas for promoting and increasing the outreach of generic medicines, the health ministry said in a statement.Vardhan, after inaugurating a Janaushadhi Centre at the Deep Market here on the occasion, informed that today is the culmination of the ‘Janaushadhi Week’, which started on March 1, it said, adding that during the week medical camps were organised, sanitary napkins were distributed and awareness rallies were held.The ministry said that the theme of this year’s Janaushadhi Diwas was ‘Seva bhi- Rozgar Bhi’ to highlight employment to pharmacists along with assured access to quality medicines for all sections of society.Giving details about the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’s (PMBJP) journey so far, Vardhan said, “In the first six years of the scheme, i.e., from 2008 till 2014, only 86 stores were opened.””In the next six years (up to 2020) the number of outlets has grown to 7,300. Every district of the country has been covered. Today, on March 7, 2021, we have started the 7500th Kendra. We are committed to increasing the number of stores to 10,000 by 2024,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.Vardhan also highlighted and appreciated the role of the generic medicine stores during the COVID-19 pandemic.”In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, PMBJP kendras have rendered essential services to the nation. All the kendras maintained their operations regularly and made medicines available to citizens. The sale of medicines in the stores increased during the nationwide lockdown,” he said.On the impact of Janaushadhi centres on people and their role as a source of income for many, the health minister said that approximately “one to 1.25 crore people are taking medicines from Janaushadhi Kendra’s every month.”The popularity of the kendras can be judged from the fact that people refer to these kendras as ‘Pradhan Mantri Ji Ki Dukan’, ‘Modicine’ etc. Besides providing quality, affordable generic medicines, the scheme has proved as a good source of employment to the educated unemployed youth of the country, he said.”More than 15,000 persons are directly employed at various levels in PMBJPKs, with logistics partners like distributors, and quality testing labs. It is also praiseworthy to note that more than 1,000 kendras are run by women entrepreneurs/pharmacists, Vardhan said.Reiterating the government’s commitment towards strengthening the PMBJPK during this year, the Union minister said two initiatives have been taken in the new year.First is the introduction of the New Incentive Plan to make the scheme more attractive. Under this plan, the incentive provided to kendra owners has been enhanced from existing Rs 2.50 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, maximum at Rs 15,000 per month, the statement said.Further, one-time incentive of Rs 2 lakh for computer and furniture has been approved for stores opened by women, SC and ST and any entrepreneur in aspirational districts or North-Eastern states.The second initiative taken is the inclusion of 75 AYUSH medicines in the product basket of the PMBJP to expand the utility of Kendras, the statement stated. “We are in the end game of the COVID-19 pandemic in India” and to succeed at this stage, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said, politics should be kept out the COVID-19 vaccination drive.He said people should trust the science behind vaccines and ensure that their near and dear ones get vaccinated on time.Speaking at the Delhi Medical Association’s (DMA’s) 62nd Annual Delhi State Medical Conference (MEDICON 2021) in collaboration with Dharamshila Narayana Hospital on Sunday, Vardhan said over 2 crore COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered so far and the vaccination rate has been increased to 15 lakhs per day.”Unlike most other countries, we have a steady supply of COVID-19 vaccines that are safe with proven immunogenicity and efficacy. Based on the initial results, these Made in India vaccines have shown some of the lowest adverse events following immunization (AEFI) anywhere in the world,” he said.Vardhan asserted that today children in the entire world need to be vaccinated against poliomyelitis only because Pakistan and Afghanistan failed to eradicate this disease from their respective countries, the statement said.”Similarly, India cannot be safe from coronavirus and COVID19 if rest of the world continues to be unsafe, which is why it is essential to curb COVID-19 vaccine nationalism.”If poor and underdeveloped countries continue to harbour the novel coronavirus, we shall not be able to ensure safety for all. A fair and equitable distribution of the vaccine is the biggest need of the hour,” he said.Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India, has emerged as the world’s pharmacy, and it supplied 5.51 crore COVID-19 vaccines to 62 different countries, he said.”At a time of global crisis, under the leadership of Modi Ji, India has emerged as an example to the world in international cooperation,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.”It was Modi ji’s insistence that COVID-19 vaccines should be provided with no strings attached, and the countries without the vaccine supply should not be taken advantage of at the time of a global humanitarian crisis,” he said.Looking at the possibility of eradication of COVID-19 in India, Vardhan said, “We are in the end game of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, and to succeed at this stage, we need to follow 3 steps: Keep politics out of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, trust the science behind COVID-19 vaccines, and ensure our near and dear ones get vaccinated on time.The government has already involved private players in COVID-19 vaccination, and if hospitals want, they can conduct vaccination 24×7, the minister said.”My request to everyone is that just like people embraced ‘Jan Andolan for COVID-19 appropriate behaviour’, they should embrace Jan Andolan for COVID-19 vaccination and get all COVID-19 vaccine shots whenever they are eligible,” he said.Delhi Medical Association (DMA) honoured Vardhan for his contribution to the medical fraternity and outstanding service and exemplary work during the COVID-19 pandemic, the health Ministry said in a statement.Healthcare workers (HCWs) and frontline workers, not just in this room, but across India, rose to the occasion and sacrificed not only their time with family, but also their own mental, physical and emotional health for this beloved nation, Vardhan said.