Bengaluru, Aug 6 : Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has written to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Wednesday defending the move of the state government to shut down the Jan Aushadhi Centres from the premises of government hospitals and urged the Centre to supply medicines to the state health department at the same rates at which these are supplied to Janushadhi Kendras.

In his letter, Minister Rao said: "As per the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pari Yojana (PMBJP) scheme, prices of the Jan Aushadhi medicines are 50 per cent-80 per cent less than that of branded medicine's prices available in the open market and Scheme is implemented by a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, Pharma and Medical Bureau of India (PMBI)."

"It is requested that they may be directed to supply to the state health department at the same rates at which these are supplied to Janushadhi Kendras. That will help a long way in the envisaged free drug supply in government hospitals of Health and Family Welfare department of Karnataka State," Minister Rao demanded.

He further said: "I acknowledge the receipt of your letter written to Chief Minister, concerning the closure of Jan Aushadhi Kendra's (JAKs) within government hospital premises in Karnataka. I appreciate your concern regarding access to affordable and quality medicines for the public.

"I would like to respectfully clarify that the Government of Karnataka has ensured the free supply of all essential medicines as per the Essential Medicines List (EML) in all government healthcare institutions. However, we would like to clarify that this decision does not restrict the operation of Janaushadhi Kendras outside government premises, and citizens are free to access them in the private domain as per their choice," he stated.

Karnataka ranks among the top ones in the country with more than 1,417 Jan Aushadhi Kendras functioning in the State.

Of these, only 184 Jan Aushadhi Kendras are located within the premises of government hospitals under the Department of Health and Family Welfare and rest are functioning outside the government hospital premises, he stated.

This decision of the government is to reduce the out-of pocket expenditure incurred by patients towards purchasing of medicines from pharmacy stores. This will benefit the poor and marginalised patients who are the ones primarily accessing healthcare services at the Government Hospitals, Minister Rao claimed.

"We remain committed to ensuring the best possible access to affordable and quality healthcare for all citizens of Karnataka and are continuously strengthening our supply chain, availability, and rational usage of medicines within the public system," he stated.

"We deeply value your concern for public health and reiterate our shared commitment to the welfare of the people," he added.

The government hospitals are regularly supplied all the required medicines through the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited.

In addition, the hospitals have been provided sufficient funds, and they have been given standing instructions that in case of shortage of any drugs, they should utilise these funds to buy medicines locally. This effort aims to ensure universal access to essential medicines for patients visiting government facilities completely free of cost, he stated.

In this context, the decision to discontinue Jan Aushadhi Kendras within government hospital premises has been taken with the intent to prevent any chances of referring the patients to the commercial shops for purchase of medicines and consequent denial to them from the assured free supply of drugs, Minister Rao stated.

/IANS