Union Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya has said that improving the quality of healthcare and making it affordable to the weaker sections of the society are top priority areas of the Union Government. 

 

The Minister informed that as of now, 9,182 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) are functional across the country in 36 State/Union Territories.   Janaushadhi Medicines are priced cheaper at least by 50% and in some cases and by 80% to 90% of the market price of branded medicines. The product basket of PMBJKs comprises 1759 medicines and 280 surgical & consumables for sale through PMBJKs, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said. In Bengaluru alone, from just 14 Janaushadhi Stores in 2019, the number of these generic medicine stores has risen to 100, catering to over 1,80,719 beneficiaries.

The Minister was speaking after   inaugurating the NaMo Free Dialysis Centre in Bengaluru today. The centre was set up under the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) of Bengaluru South MP Shri Tejasvi Surya, at the KSRTC Hospital at Jayanagar in the city. Dr. Mandaviya. also unveiled the 100th  Janaushadhi Kendra of Bengaluru South, set up at the same premises.

The dialysis centre, named after the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is meant to provide free haemodialysis treatment to the poor and marginalised sections. The dialysis machines for the facility were procured under the MPLADS fund by Shri Tejasvi Surya, with corporate sponsors donating a few more machines to the hospital. The NaMo Free Dialysis Centre is remodelled on the lines of a top corporate hospital and provides treatment free of cost.  The facility will lead to savings from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 per session for the weaker sections and is aimed at making treatments more accessible & affordable for them.

The KSRTC was earlier running a de-addiction centre for its employees at the hospital premises. Just before the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the premises was converted into a 48-bedded hospital at a cost of about Rs 1.5 crore using funds from the MPLADS and corporates, Post- COVID pandemic, an allocation under the MPLADS was made to the KSRTC hospital to use the unutilised 48 beds and provide dialysis services to the poor and needy.

Four mobile health clinics making use of modified ambulances were also launched for Bengaluru South on the occasion.  These mobile health clinics will provide health check-ups, consultations with doctors, basic laboratory tests, and medication for common illnesses to the local residents.
Karnataka Chief Minister Shri Basavaraj Bommai, State Revenue Minister Shri R. Ashoka, Shri Tejaswi Surya, MP, Bengaluru South and senior officials were among those present. 

SP/PGP/

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