Make meds affordable

Access to affordable healthcare has long been a challenge in India. The government is making efforts to address this through innovative strategies, technology integration, and increased budgetary allocations. One such initiative is the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), launched to provide quality generic medicines at significantly lower prices. This initiative has emerged as a game-changer in India’s healthcare system.

Under PMBJP, Janaushadhi Kendras have been set up across the country, offering medicines at prices 50-80% lower than their branded counterparts. This initiative plays a crucial role in ensuring affordable medicines across all socioeconomic strata. The true success of Janaushadhi lies in expanding its rural reach. As of now, over 15,000 Kendras are operational, with a target of 25,000 by 2027. These outlets offer an extensive range of over 2,000 medicines and 300 surgical products.

PMBJP covers 29 therapeutic areas, ensuring broad healthcare coverage. These include antibiotics, anti-infectives, anti-cancer drugs, anti-diabetics, cardiovascular medicines, analgesics and antipyretics, and nutritional supplements.
The surgical basket includes essential items such as masks, orthopaedic rehabilitation products, syringes, sanitary napkins, diapers, gloves, and rapid antigen test kits.

The Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), the implementing agency of PMBJP, has expanded its product range from 1,654 products in 2020-2021 to 2,347 products in 2023-2024, based on market trends, feedback, and expert recommendations. The scheme also significantly reduced the cost of essential medicines, with some drugs priced up to 94% less than their branded counterparts.

However, one major barrier to widespread acceptance of generic medicines is the misconception that a lower price equates to lower quality. PMBJP is tackling this issue through stringent quality control measures. All medicines are procured only from WHO-GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certified manufacturers to ensure high-quality production. To further ensure quality, multiple-stage quality checks are done, ranging from pre-procurement checks to post-procurement testing and random market sampling for continuous monitoring. The PMBI regularly monitors and audits the quality of medicines sold under this scheme. However, consumer scepticism remains a significant challenge.

PMBJP has also created a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem. The government provides financial incentives for opening Janaushadhi Kendras, particularly in rural and underserved regions. These include a monthly purchase incentive of up to Rs 20,000 and a one-time establishment incentive of Rs 2 lakh for entrepreneurs from marginalised communities.

To further enhance rural coverage, PMBJP has collaborated with the co-operative sector. As of February 28, over 2,700 Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) received approval to open Janaushadhi Kendras, of which 727 are already operational. In the past decade, a total of Rs 286.65 crore has been disbursed as incentives,
while Kendra owners have collectively earned Rs 1,362.47 crore in sales margin.

To address distribution challenges, PMBJP operates an IT-enabled system through five warehouses and 36 distributors nationwide. This helps maintain efficient inventory management and uninterrupted medicine availability. Additionally, the Jan Aushadhi Sugam application enables users to locate nearby Kendras and to search for generic medicines and compare prices to make informed decisions.

One notable success of PMBJP is the launch of Jan Aushadhi Suvidha oxy-biodegradable sanitary napkins at just Rs 1 per pad. Nearly 75 crore sanitary pads have been sold, significantly improving menstrual hygiene, especially in rural India.

While PMBJP has made significant progress, some challenges remain:

Expanding rural penetration: Many remote areas still lack Janaushadhi Kendras. Public-private partnerships, mobile medicine units, and incentivised setups in underserved regions can bridge this gap.

Enhancing physician engagement: The medical fraternity needs to be actively involved in promoting generic medicines. Awareness programmes, workshops, and collaborations with medical associations can encourage more physicians to prescribe affordable generics.

Addressing supply chain issues: Enhanced demand-based forecasting and logistics management will help maintain stocks.

Increasing public awareness: Misconceptions about generic medicines persist. Nationwide campaigns, community engagement, and digital outreach can help educate people on their efficacy and benefits.

PMBJP has fundamentally reshaped India’s healthcare landscape, proving that quality medicine need not be prohibitively expensive.

(The writer is National Scientific Coordinator, PVPI, and former director of
CSIR-IITR, Lucknow)