New Delhi, Nov 15 : The Union government on Saturday launched 10 new AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) pharmacies to increase access to affordable medicines and strengthen healthcare in the country.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda launched the pharmacies at an event held in the national capital to mark the 10th anniversary of the programme.

â??Launched in 2015, the AMRIT network has grown to over 255 outlets across 24 States and four Union Territories,â?? said Nadda, while expressing happiness for the decade of AMRITâ??s transformative journey in making quality medicines affordable and accessible across the country.

The new centres will begin operations at PGI Neuroscience Centre in Chandigarh, GMCH Unit-II in Jammu, State Cancer Institute in Jammu, AIIMS Deogarh, Dental Hospital Srinagar, SCTIMST in Trivandrum, Mumbai Port Trust, IIT Jodhpur, AIIMS Gorakhpur, and AIIMS Kalyani Unit 3.

â??In 2014, the government launched AMRIT and Jan Aushadi Centres with an aim to provide accessible, affordable, and equitable healthcare facilities to all people in the country,â?? Nadda said.

â??These centres are taking care of essential medicines, along with those ranging from oncology to cardiac care to orthopaedic care and specialised interventions for both medicines and medical devices,â?? he added.

These outlets provide essential medicines, life-saving drugs, and medical devices at significantly reduced prices, often up to 50 per cent less than the maximum retail price (MRP).

The Minister said the â??50 per cent discount offered on branded medicines covering oncology, cardiology, orthopaedics and endocrinology, at AMRIT, without compromising on quality, is commendableâ??.

More than 6,500 drugs and medical products are available through the network, benefitting more than 6.85 crore patients across the country.

"So far, over 17,000 crore medicines have been dispensed through these outlets. Cumulative patient savings can amount to more than Rs 8,500 crore,â?? he added.

AMRIT pharmacies are present on all AIIMS campuses and other institutes of national importance across the country.

Nadda also urged HLL Lifecare Limited (HLL), a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, â??to double the number of AMRIT outlets to â??at least 500â??.

â??All private, government medical colleges, and District Hospitals must have AMRIT. It must expand at a rapid rate,â?? he said, and called for raising awareness on AMRIT.

At the event, Nadda also launched the upgraded Ecogreen 2.0 digital platform and released a Customised My Stamp with India Post.

/IANS