North Tura MLA and Adviser to the Chief Minister, Thomas A Sangma, today inaugurated the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendra on the premises of Tura Civil Hospital in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh, other officials and staff of Tura Civil Hospital.
The aim of such outlets is to make medicines available at affordable prices for all, especially the poor and disadvantaged.
Dedicating the store to the people, Sangma said that the public, particularly the poor and needy, would be able to purchase many generic but quality and life-saving drugs at affordable rates.
Recalling his memory, he said that he was fortunate to have witnessed the opening of the first Aushadhi Kendra in New Delhi in November 2008, but even until 2014 there were only 80 kendras in the entire country. Today there are over 7,000 such Jan Aushadi Kendras all over India. He asserted that he will take special interest and initiative to open more such kendras in every nook and corner of the state as the state government accords topmost priority to the health sector.
Singh pointed out that the administration had been looking for a person to run this pharmacy selling generic medicines for a long time and, finally, found one young and enthusiastic local entrepreneur, Dabo Marak, who has been entrusted to run this shop. The DC expressed the view that the success of the kendra would depend on the recommendations and prescriptions of the doctors to the patients to use the generic medicines that are sold over the kendra counters. He also suggested making these affordable medicines available in all the weekly markets of Garo Hills to deter people buying medicines from such open markets and quacks who sold spurious medicines to the poor, innocent and gullible village folks posing their lives at great risks.
