Sarvatrika Arogya Andolana – Karnataka calls for urgent reforms to ensure regular supply of free medicines to patients
Welcoming the Karnataka government's decision to close down Janaushadhi Kendras on the premises of government facilities, members of the Sarvatrika Arogya Andolana–Karnataka (SAA-K), a coalition of 30 networks advocating 'Health for All', has called for urgent measures to ensure uninterrupted availability and free access to essential medicines within public health facilities.
Asserting that the closure of around 180 Janaushadhi Kendras on government hospital premises is only a first step, SAA-K members said urgent measures must follow to guarantee that no patient is forced to buy medicines, whether from private pharmacies or Jan Aushadhi stores.
Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, Rajesh Kumar, convener of SAA-K Bangalore Urban district, said: 'The closure of Janaushadhi Kendras on government hospital premises corrects a contradiction: medicines should be provided free at public facilities, and their sale within the same premises undermined that very promise.'
Reform KSMSCL
'The government must now focus on strengthening Karnataka State Medical Services Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) and ensuring uninterrupted supply of quality medicines in all government facilities,' said another member Ritash, a writer and an LGBTQIA+ peer counsellor.
Asha Kilaru, a public health researcher with SAAK, said KSMSCL must match the efficiency, transparency, and quality of the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC). With better systems, KSMSCL can procure more medicines with the same budget and reduce dependence on Janaushadhi Kendras. It lowers out-of-pocket expenses, an SDG goal.
'NITI Aayog's claim that PMBJKs sold ₹935.25 crore worth of medicines in 2023–24 (reportedly saving people ₹4,680 crore) misses the point that this figure represents money spent by people out-of-pocket, much of which could have been saved by a robust public procurement and free distribution system similar to Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Kerala,' she said.
Misinformation
Pointing towards misinformation on the government's move to close Janaushadhi Kendras on government hospital premises, Prasanna, public health researcher at SAAK, said these kendras outside government facilities remain operational.
'Over 1,400 stores continue to function across Karnataka, allowing continued access to affordable generic medicines for those who can buy it. Some vested interests are falsely claiming that this move denies people access to affordable medicines. In truth, the real issue is the lack of availability of free medicines inside government facilities, which forces patients to spend from their own pockets whether at retail drug stores or Janaushadhi stores, and urgent necessary reforms are needed to correct it,' he added.
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