The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has assessed that the ambitious Jan Aushadhi programme of launching generic stores has not progressed as planned. The DoP has hence worked out an action plan to rejuvenate the project.



A recent meeting of top officials to assess the project felt that the programme could not make the desired progress due to several reasons. A new action plan involving Rs.100 crore has been finalised at the meeting to give a new fillip to the project, it is learnt.



Launched in late 2008 with the purpose of ensuring cheaper medicines through the sale of generic drugs through the stores, the project aimed at opening outlets in all the districts of the country. “It should have been 600 outlets by now. But we could not reach anywhere near the target. However, the government is determined to follow it up and hence a new action plan has been worked out,” a top official said.



It was a small step toward ensuring the low cost drugs. But it was also a difficult task. Given a choice, the department may even want to have outlets in 3000 places, he said, adding that the government now wanted to push the non-governmental organisations to come and help the project to expand faster.



Another important point of action plan is to launch a massive campaign through the media on the lines of the pulse immunisation programme to popularise the low cost drugs outlets. Seeking the support of the huge number of pharmacists available in the country is another step in the action plan, it is learnt.



As per the official list, only 44 stores in seven States, mainly in the northern region, could be opened so far. As per the original plan, the chain should be expanded to 626 districts by the end of 2011. At present, about 230 commonly used medicines such as antibiotics, painkillers, vitamins and gastrointestinal medicines sourced from the state-run drug companies are available in the stores.