When the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) celebrates the first anniversary of the Karunya Community Pharmacies on January 12 this year, the Corporation cannot claim that it has lived up to the lofty expectations promised to the people of the state when it embarked on the project a year ago. Against a lofty target of 35 outlets, the corporation could open just two outlets in the state so far.

With much fanfare, the KMSCL had launched the Karunya Pharmacy on January 12 last year at the Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram,  replicating the well established model of Jeevandhara Pharmacies of Andhra Pradesh Medical Services Corporation (APMSC). Though the pharmacy sells the medicines, as announced, on discounted rates much lower than the market rate, it took five months’ time to start another one retail outlet in the small area of the Kerala state, and that too in a rural area in the capital district itself.  After that, there has been no considerable progress in the Karunya project in Kerala.

Though the expectations of Biju Prabhakar, the managing director of KMSCL were all high, he could not start a third unit so far. The Corporation had given lofty promises to the people of the state that it would start such Karunya Pharmacies in all the Medical College Hospitals, district hospitals, taluk hospitals and even in the PHCs. But so far these promises have proved to be a lip service only.

A few months ago, while speaking to Pharmabiz, the managing director had said that the Corporation would start 35 Karunya outlets in all over the state shortly. A few days later, the state health minister’s reported statement also followed supporting the MD’s promise. Unfortunately, Biju Prabhakar was unable to manage the system or keep his promise as he had to vacate his office for a long period due to training purpose in Mussoori in UP. But from the training camp, he assured Pharmabiz that all the scheduled projects concerning Karunya Pharmacies would be finished before December 2012. But nothing had happened so far.

Meanwhile, the Corporation took some initiatives to appoint Research Associates from qualified pharmacy practice professionals, and much publicity was also given. Apart from the statement, no research has been done on the plan. But to its credit, in July last, the Corporation took another initiative to bring together five other state medical corporations into a common platform to deliberate on how to bring down the out of pocket expenditure on medicines and make free supply of essential drugs to all the patients coming to the government hospitals. So far, no other state in India has replicated the model of Karunya Pharmacy of Kerala, whereas it was following the footsteps of other states.

The Karunya Community Pharmacy was started in Kerala by giving much expectations to the common man and created a hype among the public that it could bring major changes in the entire drug supply system in the country. It also spread an impression that the new chain would create setbacks to the distributors’ network in the state. But no effort has been taken by the Corporation in order to fulfill its promises and to establish more units across the state within a period of one year.

The Community Pharmacy Services Division of KMSCL procures the medicines directly from the manufacturers at lower rates without any tender. It gives 20-90 per cent discount from MRP for all medicines that are sold through its two outlets in Thiruvananthapuram district.