Tamil Nadu: Jan Aushadhi Kendras turn boon for residents of Tiruvallur district

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Chennai, March 23 (IANS) The Jan Aushadhi Kendras, launched under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s flagship scheme – Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) in 2016, are bringing extraordinary changes to people’s lives by providing medicines at highly cheaper rates, as compared to their private counterparts (medical stores).

Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district has become the latest addition to the list of cities, drawing the benefits of this scheme. Coimbatore was the first city in southern state to witness the first Jan Aushadhi Kendra but today, there are multiple such centres across the state.

In Tiruvallur, the Jan Aushadhi store located near the new Army Road is offering all types of medicines at significantly lower prices, thus benefiting the underprivileged and those from lower rungs of society. The lower-and-middle classes are also benefiting a lot by saving on medical bills.

The prices here are much lower compared to other private medical stores, with some medicines costing half the price. High-quality medicines for heart diseases, diabetes, and other ailments at affordable prices are also available here.

A couple of beneficiaries also spoke to IANS and shared their experiences.

Arun Kumar, one of the medicine buyers, said: “The PM-BJP has been extremely beneficial for us. For the past three years, I’ve been purchasing medicines for my parents’ sugar and blood pressure issues. Earlier, buying these medicines from big pharmacies was expensive. Through this Central government scheme, the prices are very lower, making it affordable for the poor like us. All types of medicines are available here, and it has been extremely helpful for us.”

Thiagarajan, another local, echoed the same, and said: “We have been greatly benefited. We are purchasing cheaper medicines for BP and sugar from here. All medicines are available at a very low price.”

“Outside pharmacies sell the same medicines for Rs 2,000, whereas at the Janaushadhi Kendra, they’re available for Rs 500. This is extremely beneficial and convenient for us. I’m grateful for this initiative,” he added.

Another local, Yuvaraj said: “We have been purchasing medicines from here for a long time. The medicines are of good quality and priced very low. All types of medicines for various treatments are available here. Specifically, I buy medicines for my father’s heart condition from here. I purchase medicines for all my family members from the Janaushadhi Kendra. The prices are low, and the quality is good. I’m satisfied with the service.”

–IANS

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