PRIME MINISTER JAN AUSHDHI PARIYOJNA: CHALLENGES IN EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION

Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna refers to availability of quality medicines at much cheaper prices than branded medicines by Parma companies .A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. A generic drug has the same active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) as the original, but it may differ in some characteristics such as the manufacturing process, formulation, color, taste, and packaging. Therefore assessment of the functioning and productivity of PMBJP becomes a matter of research to study usage of generic medicines, their demand and eroding the myth that High price with Brand name is synomous to high quality. The factors ailing the Programmes were too much dependence on the CPSUs for supply of medicines., their limited coverage of therapeutic groups and dosages., permission from State Government to open new stores and reluctance of medical practioners to suggest generic medicines to their patients. Corruption among government officials and private pharma companies attempts to scuttle the programme ,.Unavailability and uneven distribution of medicines among the stores,poor awareness about the stores and medicines hamper the effective implementation of the Programme.Last but not the least simply formulating policy and leaving in the hands of store owners to execute does not end the responsibility, rather the government need to evaluate and reevaluate the existing problems. Media reporting, surprise check of the stores and timely supply of medicines from the companies and then to the stores should be strictly monitored.