KARGIL, MARCH 02, 2021: Weeklong Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2021 began with a training programme at District Hospital Kargil here today.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kargil Dr Munawar Hussain Wazir, Senior Consultant Surgeon Dr Muhammad Abass, Consultant ENT Dr Oliyat Ali, Residential Medical Officer (RMO) and Nodal Officer, Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Dr Shabir Hussain, Community Health Officer (CHO) Syed Mohammad Shah besides doctors and paramedical staff were present on the occasion.

The Weeklong Jan Aushadhi Diwas is to provide free medical checkup, create awareness and to educate the common people about the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Yojana.

Consultant ENT Dr Oliyat Ali while addressing the doctors and the paramedical staff participating in the training programme gave detailed information on the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Yojana.

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He informed that the scheme was initiated in 2008 with a target to open 3000 kendras by 2012.

He further informed that in 2015, the schemes was renewed and renamed as Jan Aushadhi Yojana and later in 2018, it was again renamed as Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Yojana.

It was also informed that the scheme is aimed to provide all types of medicines at nominal cost at the kendras and presently there are 7400 kendras functional in all over the country.

Pertinently, the theme of the scheme this year is “Sewa Bhi, Rozgar Bhi” where apart from providing medicines at low cost, opportunity is also to be provided for the unemployed youth to open outlets under the scheme.

Those who open the outlets under the scheme are also being provided financial support by the government for which the details are available at the official website.

The participants of the training programme were also informed that the medicines provided at the Jan Aushadhi kendras are at discounted rates varying from 50% to 90% while quality, safety and efficacy are also propeprly ensured in medicines of these kendras.

Allaying the apprehensions that the medicines provided at low costs are not good the doctors informed that the medicines provided at Jan Aushadhi kendras are properly checked and their quality is supervised by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) which is an autonomous body under the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India.

Meanwhile, CMO Kargil Dr Munawar Hussain Wazir while speaking on the quality of the medicines provided at the Jan Aushadhi kendras said that the manufacturers of the medicines for the kendras are same as that of the prominent companies.

The companies also take the medicines from the same manufacturers and distribute with their own brand.