Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has clarified that the state government has not ordered the closure of Jan Aushadhi Kendras, but has only decided to restrict their operation within government hospital premises. This clarification came in a formal letter addressed to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, in response to concerns raised regarding Karnataka’s stance on Jan Aushadhi centres.
The Minister emphasised that the move is intended to prevent any denial of free essential medicines to patients visiting government hospitals, and to streamline public healthcare delivery. “We aim to ensure that government doctors prescribe only those medicines that are available and provided free of cost at the hospital pharmacy,” he wrote.
Karnataka currently operates over 1,417 Jan Aushadhi Kendras, the highest in the country, with only 184 located inside government hospital premises. The rest function independently outside hospital campuses, and the public is free to access them in the private sector as per their convenience.
In his letter, Minister Gundu Rao welcomed the Union Government’s concern about affordable access to quality generic medicines and reiterated that Karnataka provides free medicines in all public health institutions as per the Essential Medicines List (EML).
To prevent situations where patients are directed to commercial stores despite availability of free medicines, the state government has instructed that prescriptions in government hospitals must align with in-house pharmacy supplies. The goal is to reduce patients’ out-of-pocket expenditure and support economically weaker sections.
The Minister also pointed out that the Delhi High Court judgment (W.P.(C) 3903/2017) cited by the Union Minister pertains specifically to the GNCTD and AIIMS, New Delhi, and should not be applied as a general directive to other states.
He added that under the PMBJP scheme, Jan Aushadhi medicines are priced 50%-80% lower than branded alternatives and are supplied by the Pharmaceutical and Medical Bureau of India (PMBI). He urged that the Union Government consider supplying these medicines at the same rates to state governments, particularly for distribution through Karnataka’s health and family welfare department.
Reaffirming the state’s commitment, Gundu Rao wrote, “We are dedicated to providing affordable and quality healthcare to all citizens of Karnataka. We will continue to strengthen our public supply chain and rational medicine use in the public system while honouring your concern for public health.”
