Jeevanadhara pharmacies, boon to poor

Visakhapatnam, September 28: The Jeevanadhara pharmacies in Visakhapatnam has turned as boon to poor and middle-class people. The expenditure of medicines for normal ailments is high and it is beyond the capacity of poor people to bear the medical expenses for severe diseases.

But the generic medicines lack public support. Misunderstandings, lack of understanding, doctors showing interest in branded medicines, lack of publicity are some of the reasons for this. It is commonly assumed that medicines of low cost will be of cheap quality.

But the organizers of the generic shops assure that both the branded and generic medicines will contain the same composition. Normally medicines are sold at high prices to get huge profits.

But a few people, with the motto to serve the society, will sell the medicines for normal prices. Another major problem for the patients is that they have to purchase medicines in the same shop as suggested by the doctors.

The doctors reportedly fire on the patients if they purchase medicines in other shops which sell for lower prices. Hence the patients are forced to buy from the same shop as told by the doctors, at high prices.

Unable to bear the expenses, several people suffering from diabetes, blood pressure, gastric etc were reportedly stopping using the medicines abruptly. Considering the situation, Jeevandhara Sanjivini medical shops were opened where 400 types of medicines will be sold at cheaper prices.

There will be a price difference of about 70 to 90 per cent between these and normal shops. Generic medical shops were set up at KGH, MVP Lions Club, Seetamma Dhara Tahsildar office, Prahlada Kalyana Mandapam, Navratna Charitable Trust hospital, Dondaparti Junction, Maharanipet Dandu Bazaar in Vizag city.

These shops sell about 40 to 50 types of anti-biotics medicines and the annual turnover of a few of these shops is about Rs 3 crore. After observing the increasing response, another 15 generic medical shops were opened in the district.

It is our responsibility to support these medical shops which are working to serve the people. Also the pharmaceutical companies should give concession to these shops.

If the government also comes forward to support these shops, then the poor and middle-class people could maintain good health.