Five PCMC hospitals to get 24x7 generic medicine stores

The generic drug stores will be set up at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH), Jijamata Hospital, and the Thergaon, Akurdi and Bhosari hospitals

Five hospitals run by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will get round-the-clock generic medicine stores from next month. The civic body has identified the locations for these generic medicine stores, and the same have been approved by the standing committee of the PCMC, officials said on Friday.

Soon, the NACOF will start 19 generic drug stores in hospitals run by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The generic drug stores will be set up at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH), Jijamata Hospital, and the Thergaon, Akurdi and Bhosari hospitals through the National Federation of Farmers’ Procurement and Processing and Retailing Cooperatives of India Ltd. (NACOF), a multi-state cooperative society. Soon, the NACOF will start 19 generic drug stores in hospitals run by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

Dr Laxman Gophane, health officer of the PCMC, said that space has been identified and allotted for these stores and that the NACOF will pay rent to the PCMC for using the space. “The hospitals selected are the ones which see a large number of visitors every day. All our hospitals are round-the-clock due to which the drug stores will also be open round-the-clock. The price difference between branded and generic medicines can go up to 70%. The use of generic medicines can significantly reduce the treatment cost,” Dr Gophane said.

Currently, patients visiting PCMC-run hospitals have to purchase medicines from outside as these are not available at the hospitals. While branded medicines are costly, generic medicines can be availed at a much lower price. Generic drugs are medicines marketed without a brand name. However, they are identical to their branded counterparts in terms of dosage, strength, route of administration, safety, efficacy, and intended use, the officials said.

Another senior official from the PCMC on condition of anonymity said, “The treatment and medicines at PCMC-run hospitals are provided free-of-cost. However, some medicines which are not frequently prescribed are not procured by the PCMC. Such medicines have to be purchased from outside by the patients.”