The third retail outlet of the Karunya Community Pharmacy, a project of Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd. (KMSCL), was opened at the medical college campus at Kozhikode in Kerala on February 6. The official inauguration of the outlet will be held later.

Of the two other pharmacies, one is located at medical college hospital (MCH) in Thiruvananthapuram and another one in a rural area in the district.

According to sources in the KMSCL, the outlet at Kozhikode was started now for a market study purpose. The main agenda of the study is to find out what sorts of medicines are required in the area and how much quantity should be stocked. The study will continue for next 20 days, meanwhile a survey will also be conducted.

Sources from the Karunya Pharmacy Division said 3000 brands of medicines have brought to the outlet on the first day of the launching. It will further bring another 4000 brands of drugs. Karunya is selling only speciality branded drugs on 20-60 per cent discounts. In the retail outlet at Thiruvananthapuram, seven thousand brands of drugs are available day and night.

Currently, the Kozhikode branch will operate in the day time only. After the official inauguration, the services will be available for 24 hours. On the very first day of the opening, till 2 pm, medicines worth Rs. 14,000 were sold and 90 patients visited the outlet, said an official.


While speaking to Pharmabiz, officials at the KMSCL said in the third week of this month two more retail outlets will be opened at MCHs in Thrissur and in Alappuzha. The medical services corporation celebrated its first anniversary on January 12 this year.

Though KMSCL had announced that it would start 35 outlets within one year, it could open only two retail shops in the previous year.