India to Establish Jan Aushadhi Kendra in Guyana, Announces PM Modi

The initiative is expected to launch in Guyana in the coming months, aiming to improve access to affordable medicines in the South American nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has planned to establish India’s pharmaceutical initiative, Jan Aushadhi Kendra, in Guyana.

Following bilateral talks, the announcement came during a joint press conference with Guyana's President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali in Georgetown.

Addressing a joint press conference, Prime Minister Modi said, “India is an important source of pharmaceutical products for Guyana. We will work on increasing pharma exports as well as setting up a Jan Aushadhi Centre in Guyana.”

The initiative is expected to launch in Guyana in the coming months, aiming to improve access to affordable medicines in the South American nation.

Moreover, this development marks a historic moment, as PM Modi's visit is the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Guyana in 56 years.

During his visit, PM Modi and President Ali also oversaw the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and engaged in delegation-level discussions in Georgetown. The Indian Prime Minister’s trip to Guyana is part of a broader three-nation tour, which includes Nigeria and Brazil.

About JAK

Jan Aushadhi Kendras are government-run pharmacies established under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). These centers aim to provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices to the public, particularly benefiting the poor and disadvantaged

Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have set up the highest number of government's low-cost, quality generic medicines retail initiative Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs), according to data from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

While some other states are yet to catch up to the trend, Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 2,210 JAKs, followed by Kerala (1,228), Karnataka (1,225), and Tamil Nadu (1,107).

These states are the only ones to surpass 1,000 outlets. Further, the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) has established 12,616 JAKs across the country by June 2024.

Per data, Gujarat (682), Maharashtra (675), Bihar (638), and Odisha (556) are faring well.

However, states such as Chandigarh (12), Himachal Pradesh (74), Jharkhand (120), Chhattisgarh (202), Telangana (180), Andhra Pradesh (268), Uttarakhand (284), and Madhya Pradesh (403) have yet to fully leverage the benefits of these low-cost generic stores.

Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News.