Govt working to ensure cheap health care: Modi
JAN AUSHADHI SCHEME Says medicine prices under scheme 50% cheaper than market
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted that his government was working on a mission mode to ensure affordable health care across the country as he interacted with beneficiaries of the low-cost generic medicine programme initiated by it.
Under the programme, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana, the government has set up outlets to provide generic drugs that are available at cheaper prices but are equivalent in quality and efficacy to branded drugs.
“We are working on four goals for the health of every Indian. First, that every Indian should be prevented from developing sickness. Second, there should be affordable and good treatment in case of illness. Third, to ensure that there are modern hospitals, adequate number of good doctors and medical staff for treatment. And fourth goal is to meet challenges by working on a mission mode,” the prime minister said.
The Prime Minister said the prices of medicines at Jan Aushadhi Centres were 50% to 90% cheaper than market prices. “I am told that till now, ~2,200 crores have been saved by crores of poor and middle class Indians all over the country due to Jan Aushadhi Centres,” the PM said.
The event also saw Modi turning emotional when a woman beneficiary, narrating her ordeal with an ailment, said she saw God in the prime minister.
Dehradun resident Deepa Shah was interacting with the prime minister through videoconference on the occasion of Jan Aushadhi Diwas. “I have not seen God, but I have seen God in you,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Modi was visibly emotional as the woman repeated her remark.
Shah said she had suffered because of the cost of medicines after she suffered paralysis in 2011 and has now started saving ~3,500 every month by switching to the government’s low-cost generic medicines programme.
An emotional prime minister paused for a moment before telling Shah that it was her courage that had won over her ailment and that she must carry on in the same spirit.
“You have defeated disease with your own will power. Your courage is your god and that same courage has given you the strength to emerge from such a big crisis,” Modi told her.
I am told that till now, ~2,200 crores have been saved by crores of poor and middle class Indians in the country due to Jan Aushadhi Centres NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister