'Govt To Take Strict Action Against Pharma Companies Engaged In Spurious Medicines': Health Minister Mandaviya

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said the government would take strict action against pharma companies found to be involved in the manufacturing of spurious medicines across the country."Pharma companies who are found involved in the manufacturing of spurious medicines will not be spared," Mandaviya said. During a visit to Jan Aushadhi Kendra in Dehradun, the health minister stressed that the issue of medicines is definitely linked with public health. The minister on a two-day visit to the state interacted with health workers and beneficiaries on this occasion."The issues of medicines are definitely linked with public health. Medicine is a public health issue," he said.

He informed that there were over 10,500 pharma companies dealing with the manufacturing of medicines in the country. "We have taken action against erring companies in the past".Mandaviya said, today, these centres are making cheap and quality medicines available in every corner of the country. He wrote on his Twitter handle: "Visited Janaushadhi Kendra in Dehradun. People who came to buy medicines at the centre said that their out-of-pocket expenses have decreased considerably due to the Jan Aushadhi Kendra". The Union Health Minister will lay the foundation stone of three Critical Care Blocks (CCB) for infectious diseases in Uttarakhand on Friday.

He will also lay the foundation of a 500-bedded hospital at New Block at Doon Medical College. The Central government approved the proposal of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) to invite online applications for the opening of new Janaushadhi Kendras in 651 districts of different states and union territories in January earlier this year.

PMBI is the implementing agency of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).PMBJP was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers with the objective of making quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all.The Government has set a target to increase the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras to 10,000 by March 2024.