Government measures to improve access to affordable medicines (Janaushadhi, AB-PMJAY, Free Drugs Service Initiative, AMRIT, Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi/Discretionary Grant)

What happened (Government measures to improve access to affordable medicines)

The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers’ Department of Pharmaceuticals described a set of Government measures to improve access to medicines at affordable rates. The measures listed by the Government cover five broad channels: (1) price regulation under DPCO, 2013; (2) generic medicine retail through Janaushadhi Kendras; (3) insurance financing for hospitalisation costs through AB-PMJAY; (4) free supply of essential medicines in public health facilities through the Free Drugs Service Initiative; and (5) hospital-based discounted supplies and targeted financial assistance for poor patients with major life-threatening diseases.

Key measures named by the Government

The Government listed the following measures and their stated features:

1) Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (Janaushadhi) supplies quality generic medicines through more than 20,000 Janaushadhi Kendras. The Government stated that these generics are typically 50% to 80% cheaper than branded medicines.

2) Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) provides health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary or tertiary care hospitalisation. The Government stated that the scope includes medicines required for such hospitalisation.