Mangalagiri: Health minister Vidadala Rajini urges people to buy generic medicines

Mangalagiri: Minister for Health, Medical & Family Welfare Vidadala Rajini underlined the importance of generic medicines and asked the officials to plan for improving the awareness on generic medicines among public. She was addressing the meeting organised by the Drug Control Administration Department in connection with the fifth National Janaushadi Diwas in Nirmala Collage of Pharmacy at Atmakuru in Mangalagiri.

Principal Secretary MT Krishna Babu was the guest of honor. Director General of Drugs Control Administration S Ravi Shankar Narayan and Director of Drugs Control Administration MBR Prasad were guests.

Vidadala Rajani said that the Government is taking steps to improve the use and consumption of the generic medicines in the state. She further stated that the Government is extending all necessary support to entrepreneurs in generic medicines supply chain.

Later, the Minister interacted with the consumers of the generic medicines about their success stories in getting benefits.

Principal Secretary MT Krishna Babu said that both branded medicines and generic medicines have same quality and varies in prices only.

He further said that generic medicines are playing an important role in availing quality health services by poor people. He also said that the medical shop owners shall be careful while selling the antibiotics and Drugs Control Administration should take necessary action in this direction. "Antibiotics shall be sold on the prescription of the Qualified Doctors for controlling Anti-Microbial Resistance."

S Ravi Shankar Narayan said that both generic drugs and branded drugs will have same standards and their manufacturing and quality is monitored by the respective State Drugs Control Departments regularly.

Rev Sr Mariya Sundari, President and Rev Sr G Nirmala Jyothi, General Secretary of Nirmala College of Pharmacy, officers of the Drugs Control Administration, representatives of the Seemandhra Drug Dealers Association and medical shop owners participated in this programme.

Awards were distributed to the winners of the Essay writing competition on Generic Medicines. Out of the 143 Janaushadi Kendras present across the state awards were presented to the top four Kendras for their service and for the highest sales of generic medicines.