Meghalaya gets first AMRIT pharmacy

From A Reporter

SHILLONG, Sept 21: Meghalaya got its first Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) pharmacy at the Civil Hospital here on Thursday.

The pharmacy was iugurated by State Health & Family Welfare Minister Roshan Warjri. This 103rd AMRIT pharmacy in the country will provide life-saving drugs at heavily discounted rates for the benefit of the weaker sections of society.

Speaking at the function held at the Civil Hospital premises, Warjri lauded the initiative taken by the Government of India to facilitate the setting up of AMRIT pharmacy in the State-run hospital where patients from weaker sections of society will be able to buy medicines at a highly subsidised rate.

Stating that a significant number of patients stop visiting hospitals after two or three cycles of treatment due to uffordable costs of medicines, the Minister hoped that this pharmacy will serve its purpose for the people of the State.

She expressed happiness that besides cancer and cardio-vascular medicines and implants, the pharmacy will also provide medicines for other diseases as well which will be a blessing to the people of the State.

The Minister informed the gathering that AMRIT pharmacy outlets will also be set up at Ganesh Das Materl and Child Health Hospital and other government hospitals in the State.

In his speech, tiol Health Mission’s Mission Director-cum-Secretary of Health & Family Welfare HM Shangpliang asserted that the government is committed to provide quality and affordable healthcare to the people of the State. “Hence the government is in the process to link AMRIT pharmacy with the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MIHS) so that people can get maximum benefit from the pharmacy,” he explained.

It may be mentioned that the Government of India-owned HLL Lifecare Ltd (HLL) will establish and run AMRIT pharmacy, which will sell both drugs and implants at significant discounts, based on authentic prescriptions from doctors.

Meanwhile, HLL East India Regiol Mager Rupa Chakraborty said, “The Government of India is committed to reduce the expensive treatment to people by providing quality and affordable medicines. Besides medicines for cancer and cardio-vascular diseases, the pharmacy will also dispense medicines for other diseases as well as per requirement of the hospital.”