Chhattisgarh govt's flagship scheme delivers hefty markdown on medicines

Offering discounts of 50-70 per cent on medicines is no normal business in the pharmaceutical sector.
 
But the Chhattisgarh government has made it a policy with another flagship scheme called “Shri Dhanwantri Generic Medical Store Scheme”.
 
Launched in October last year, it provides medicines at affordable rates to people on the basis of the below-the-poverty line card, and is being implemented by the urban development department while a committee headed by the district collector monitors the execution and procurement of medicines in each district.
 

A senior official with the department said the people in Chhattisgarh were getting a big relief from expensive medicines because life-saving and other expensive drugs were now available at less than half the cost.

 
Besides, the stores also make available equipment at affordable rates.
 
The state government has given priority to the health security of the people, the official said.
 
In the first phase, 192 stores started operating in urban areas. In Raipur, 19 shops, the highest, are located.
 
After the launch of the scheme, 3.2 million consumers have purchased medicines and saved more than Rs 62 crore, the official said.
 
“As on October 31, the combined maximum retail prices (MRPs) of the medicines purchased by collectors for retail counters and mobile medical units were more than Rs 101 crore while they were provided to people for a little more than Rs 40 crore,” the official said.

 
The urban development department has provided shops to owners for a token rent of Rs 2 per square foot. Under the scheme, the shops have been authorised to give a discount of 50-70 per cent on MRP.
 
The officials said in the next phase of the scheme, the home delivery of medicines would start.
 
Another scheme, providing medical facilities in weekly markets, is evoking a good response. The Mukhyamantri Haat-Bazaar Clinics Scheme is being implemented in remote and inaccessible areas, while in urban areas medical facilities are being provided to people living in slums of urban areas through the Mukhyamantri Slum Health Scheme.

 
In medical camps, there are facilities for free check-ups, consultation, distributing free medicines, and even pathology tests.