Civic hospitals to get generic medicine stores

Mumbai: The government will soon open 24x7 generic medicine stores on campuses of local body-run hospitals across the state.

The state cabinet had recently given its nod to a proposal to this effect. The proposal was cleared in accordance with the centre’s policy of ‘Jan Aushadhi’ (Generic medicine).

These generic medical stores will be set up through the National Federation of Farmers’ Procurement and Processing and Retailing Cooperatives of India Ltd (NACOF), a multi-state cooperative society.

Currently, patients have to purchase medicines from outside as civic body-run hospitals do not have all the medicines required for various illnesses. In such cases, the patients have to buy such medicines from outside the hospitals. This move will enable the patients to avail medicines at affordable price.

‘’While branded medicines are costly, generic medicine can be availed for a much lower price. Generally, the price difference between branded and generic medicines can go up to 70%. This way, generic medicines can reduce the expense significantly,’’ Nitin Shinde, president, Prabodhan Goregaon Consumer Co-operative Society, which has been running generic medicine stores for the last 13 years, said.

According to the public health department officials, these generic medicine shops will be open 24x7 and three registered pharmacists will be appointed in each shop. As per government policy, NACOF will give preference to disabled persons and women.

“The NACOF has experience in setting up and running generic medicine shops in prominent hospitals in Delhi, including Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and S K Hospital. Considering their experience and infrastructure the NACOF should be allowed to open generic medicine stores on the lines of ‘Amrut Stores’ in the area of hospitals run by urban local bodies,” the proposal note for cabinet approval read.

In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) runs four major hospitals—KEM, Nair, Sion, Cooper—and 17 peripheral hospitals.