Govt. endeavours to provide affordable healthcare services in Nagaland

Reiterating the state government’s commitment to provide accessible and affordable healthcare services to all the citizens, the commissioner and secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Y Kikheto Sema, has sought support from all sections of the people in its endeavours to translate into reality.

Sema stated this on the occasion of Jan Aushadhi Diwas (Life Medicine Day) held at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) on Tuesday. Sema stated that the state government was committed to provide accessible and affordable healthcare services to its citizens.

He has requested the doctors both in government and private set-up to prescribe Jan Aushadhi medicines for the benefit of needy patients. He also urged the healthcare workers to create awareness among the public that Jan Aushadhi medicines are not poor in quality as they are tested at National Accreditation Board for testing and calibration Laboratories (NABL).

“The cheap cost of medicine is not due to poor quality but to benefit the poorer section of the people,” Sema said. He pointed out that visualising the problems faced by majority of the population in the country in getting access to affordable quality medicines, the government of India under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Chemicals and Fertilizers, launched the Jan Aushadhi scheme in November 2008.

He informed that the initiative of the Prime Minister, Jan Aushadhi Diwas, is celebrated on March 7 every year from 2019 for enhancing awareness about the scheme and promoting generic medicines. He added that the scheme has made significant impact to the lives of the common people by providing quality generic medicines at an affordable price.

He also informed that during the last few years, the number of Jan Aushadhi stores has grown to more than 9,000 covering almost all the districts of the country, while the product basket has been enhanced to more than 1700 drugs and 280 surgical.

It was also informed that those medicines are at least 50% cheaper and in some cases up to 80-90% cheaper than the market price of the branded medicines.

Taking note of the challenges faced by the state with regard to Jan Aushadhi, he has mooted idea to appoint reliable stockist to run warehouses in Dimapur so that the stores could supply the required medicines throughout the state as and when required.

Sema also viewed that linking PM Ayushman Bharat/ CMHIS with Jan Aushadhi medicines in all government hospitals, health centres and empanelled hospitals in the state would bring down the treatment cost for the benefit of the poor patients and also boost the sale of the stores and generate income for hospitals and health centres for its sustenance.

Dwelling on the CMHIS launched on October 14, 2022, which is facing some problems on implementation particularly outside the state, he informed that the government and the department are closely working for its solution at the earliest.

He further informed that tobacco-free zones implemented from February 1, 2003, in all state government health institutions including offices of Health and Family Welfare are successful. He also shared the desire to implement the same in all private health institutions, government and public offices in the days to come.

On the occasion, Dr. Lozino Peseyie, senior specialist at NHAK, shared experience and highlighted the functions and services provided under the Jan Aushadhi Kendra in Kohima. She also called for efforts of the participants to spread awareness and the benefit of the Jan Aushadhi.

The programme was chaired by Dr. Vibeituonuo M Sachu, principal director of Health and Family Welfare, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Sendimeren Aonok, managing director of NHAK.

The best Jan Aushadhi Kendra award was announced by Dr. C Tetseo, nodal officer. The award comprising citation and prize money was awarded to Dr. Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital, Mokokchung, by Y Kikheto Sema.