Although a parallel scheme, Kerala Generics, to replace the central scheme, Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Stores (PMJAS), was launched by the government of Kerala to provide generic medicines at affordable prices to the needy public, the Ministry of Local Self Departments of the state has taken initiative to start PMJAS in all the local body institutions which come around 1040.

The scheme will be kick-started from next month with the opening of 15 jan aushadhi stores in selected village panchayats and municipalities. In another one year period, all the 941 panchayats, 93 municipalities and six corporations will have the generic drug retail outlets under the central scheme.

For this, the government has signed an MoU, a tripartite agreement, with Kudumbashree Mission and Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) on June 7 at Thiruvananthapuram. The JAS scheme will be implemented and the stores will be run by each Kudumbashree unit in each village panchayat, municipalities and corporations.

While briefing about the scheme, the executive director of Kudumbashree Mission, S. Harikishore, said one qualified pharmacist and a computer operator each will be recruited from the Kudumbashree families and appointed with charges of the JAS medical stores in each panchayat or municipality. It is the responsibility of the local self governments to find space for the stores, and BPPI will provide financial support to develop the basic facilities and supply drugs worth Rs one lakh in the beginning. Later, as per the requirement, BPPI, the nodal agency to run the scheme, will supply medicines to the stores.

Kudumbashree is a women empowerment and poverty eradication program which comprises units of groups of women in the village areas. Each unit undertakes various employment programs, health programs and awareness programs of the government.
With the opening of 1040 Jan Aushadhi Stores under Kudumbashree Mission, Kerala will become the number one state in the country with highest number of JAS stores. The state has already 211 JAS stores in the private sector supported by BPPI.

The parallel generic drugs supply project of the government, Kerala Generics, was launched on May 1 in three medical college hospitals and three district hospitals as separate outlets at the Karunya pharmacies of the state’s medical supply corporation (KMSCL). Karunya pharmacies were launched on January 12, 2012 by the corporation in the hospital premises to supply branded generics to the patients at reasonable prices.

Meanwhile extending full support to the central scheme, all the pharmacy colleges in Kerala, including government colleges, have agreed to open Jan Aushadhi Stores (JAS) in their premises to promote sale of generic versions of medicines. These medical stores at the institutions will operate as retail outlets of generic medicines as well as training centres for student pharmacists. Fifty one stores will be opened before August 31 in the colleges. This is part of the central council’s (PCI) plan to support PMJAS across the country.