‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’ is a campaign launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. Of India, to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses through special distribution centers known as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendra.
Background of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana
In November 2008, with an objective to make available generic medicines at affordable prices to all, the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers launched the “Jan Aushadhi Scheme”.
In 2015, to reinvigorate the supply of affordable generic medicines with efficacy and quality equivalent to that of branded drugs, the scheme was revamped as “Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Yojana”.
To provide further momentum to the ongoing scheme, it was again renamed as “Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana” (PMBJP).
PMBJP Objective:
- To achieve the objective of making available quality generic medicines at affordable prices to all.
Missions:
- Create awareness among public regarding generic medicines.
- Create demand for generic medicines through medical practioners
- Create awareness through education and awareness program that high price need not be synonymous with high quality.
- Provide all the commonly used generic medicines covering all the therapeutic groups.
- Provide all the related health care products too under the scheme.
Implementing Agency:
Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI), a Public Sector Undertakings established under the administrative control of Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. of India is the implementing agency of the scheme. In April 2010, BPPI got registered as an independent society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 as a separate legal entity.
BPPI with the support of all the Pharma CPSUs is responsible for coordinating procurement, supply and marketing of generic drugs through the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras.
Generic medicines are unbranded medicines which are equally safe and having the same efficacy as that of branded medicines in terms of their therapeutic value. The prices of generic medicines are much cheaper than their branded equivalent.
What are Generic Medicines ?
Current Status of PMBJP:
The Scheme been providing over 900 quality generic-medecines and 154 surgical equipments & consumable at affordable prices for every citizen of the nation.
Presently , more than 6300 PMJAKs are functioning across the nation covering 726 districts of the country.
Janaushadhi Sugam Mobile App
The PMBJP launched this mobile application in order to help people locate their nearest Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendra (PMJAK) and availability of affordable generic medicine with its price. The Mobile App is available on both Android & I-phone platforms. It can be downloaded free of cost by the user from Google Play Store and Apple Store.
