Latest news with #JAKs
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Jan Aushadhi Kendra closuresparks Centre-Karnataka turf war
Bengaluru: The closure of several Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) inside govt hospitals in Karnataka has pitted the BJP-led Centre against the state's Congress govt, which said the move is "administrative". Replying to a question from Belagavi BJP MP and former CM Jagadish Shettar, Union minister of state for chemicals and fertilizers Anupriya Patel said last week that the Centre had written to the state govt in response to the decision to close down the JAKs. Patel said the Centre urged the state govt to reconsider its decision as the generic drugs distribution network had close to 1,500 shops in the state that accounted for a turnover of Rs 5,700 crore. It reasoned that the JAKs, meant for the poor, needed to be kept open for patients coming to state-run hospitals for treatment. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru However, the state govt claimed this was an administrative decision, keeping in mind the possibility of black-marketeering or non-sale of state govt-procured medicines at the govt hospitals. "There have been routine complaints to the health department that the medications prescribed by our hospital doctors are made unavailable in our in-house pharmacy and patients are redirected to JAKs to procure the same in generic forms," said a senior health department official. According to the state govt, yet another complaint is that JAKs were in fact selling branded medications while they should only be selling generic ones. This has been confirmed by the food safety and drug administration unit, the health department claimed. According to the department officials, the closure of JAKs is restricted to only 80-85 of these centres, with the remaining 1,400 JAKs being up and running in the state. In fact, the state govt has even decided to close its own additional pharmacy units called Janata Bazaar on hospital premises. There are 15 of them in the state. Speaking to TOI, health secretary Harsh Gupta, while admitting the department is in possession of the central govt letter, said it is yet to discuss the content with minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. "We will have a detailed discussion on the issue with the minister and then take an informed decision," he said. Rao was unavailable for comments. —--- Quote There have been routine complaints to the health department that the medications prescribed by our hospital doctors are made unavailable in our in-house pharmacy and patients are redirected to JAKs to procure the same in generic forms -senior health department official
Deccan Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Deccan Herald
Closure of Jan Aushadhi Kendras : Nadda asks CM Siddaramaiah to reconsider decision
In his letter, Nadda highlighted that JAKs provide quality generic medicines at rates typically 50% to 80% cheaper than leading branded medicines in the market, which has resulted in estimated savings of about Rs 5,700 crore to citizens in the state over the last 10 years
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Make doctor's appointments, get lab reports on one platform: Delhi CM rolls out hospital management system
Patients can now make doctor's appointments, get lab reports, view and pay their medical bills at Delhi's government hospitals — all through a single digital platform, said Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as she digitally inaugurated the Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) on Thursday. 'Appointments can be scheduled from home, eliminating long queues. Once a patient presents their health card, treatment can begin immediately,' she said. Along with the HIMS, Gupta also launched 34 new Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, and 8 new Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs). Addressing the event at the Delhi Secretariat, the CM said over 93 lakh ABHA IDs (Ayushman Bharat Health Account IDs) have also been created, providing every resident with a digital health card. 'This card will allow citizens to access medical services in any hospital, anywhere, based on their medical history,' she noted. She also said the digitisation of hospitals is a reflection of the Capital's progress and commitment to quality healthcare. While inaugurating the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, the CM said, the new centres will soon be dedicated to the public by MLAs in their respective constituencies. The government is planning to open 15 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in every constituency operating as primary health centres, offering multiple lab tests and essential services, she added. The event also saw Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh announcing the government's plans to establish 1,139 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across the Capital. The CM also claimed that corruption in medicine procurement has been effectively eliminated. 'All purchases are now processed digitally. We addressed the issue of overpriced medicines earlier by opening Jan Aushadhi Kendras. To strengthen healthcare delivery, we have also initiated permanent recruitment. Over 1,350 nursing positions that had remained vacant for over a decade have now been filled,' she added.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
CM launches health initiatives to offer patients timely care
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday launched a slew of initiatives, including 34 new Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and eight Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs), to build a 'digital, affordable, and accessible' healthcare system in Delhi. Speaking at the launch event at the Delhi Secretariat, Ms. Gupta said these steps would ensure patients receive timely and efficient care. The Chief Minister also launched the Hospital Information Management System (HIMS), which will allow patients to book OPD appointments, access lab and radiology reports, view medical records, billing and more — all through a single digital platform. 'True progress' 'Appointments can now be scheduled from home, eliminating long queues. Once a patient presents their health card, treatment can begin immediately. This is true progress,' Ms. Gupta said. Officials said training for HIMS-based OPD registration has already been conducted across hospitals, with implementation under way. The system, developed with support from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, will also complement the existing HIMS used for monitoring national health schemes and programmes. The CM said over 93 lakh Ayushman Bharat Health Account IDs were issued in the Capital, giving every resident a unique digital health identity. Ms. Gupta said corruption in medicine procurement has been curbed with end-to-end digital processing. 'To tackle overpriced medicines, JAKs were opened. Permanent recruitment has also been initiated and over 1,350 nursing posts lying vacant for over a decade have now been filled,' she said. Three-tier model On the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Ms. Gupta said they will serve as community-level health centres, offering multiple lab tests and basic services under a three-tier healthcare model covering primary, general, and super-speciality care. 'Our goal is to open 15 such centres in every constituency,' she said. She also criticised the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, saying her administration was 'still searching for their so-called health model'. 'Despite all the hype, people of Delhi continued to suffer without basic care. Not even one hospital was completed. Their Mohalla Clinics couldn't offer basic services like a tetanus injection,' she said. AAP said in a statement that 'the L-G did not start the process of hiring doctors and paramedic staff for new hospitals and blocks despite multiple reminders'. Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the government plans to set up 1,139 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across Delhi. With the additions, 67 centres are now operational. Each facility offers a package of 12 essential health services, including vaccination, antenatal and postnatal care, mental health, TB and leprosy elimination, screening for non-communicable diseases, along with in-house lab tests, yoga sessions, and telemedicine. While some Mohalla Clinics have been rebranded and upgraded as Urban-Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, the government is scouting for more vacant spaces for expansion.
