What is Jan Aushadhi - जन औषधि ?
My Dear Young Indians,
Have you seen 'Jan Aushadhi" shops in your city?
What is Jan Aushadhi - जन औषधि ?
Jan (जन) means people or public or common man. औषधि means Medicine.
So, literally जन औषधि means medicine for the common man.
Who started Jan Aushadhi (जन औषधि) ?
Jan Aushadhi (जन औषधि) is promoted and encouraged by the Govt of India. The Govt of India has opened 7,500 Jan Aushadhi shops across India.
What is special about Jan Aushadhi (जन औषधि ) ?
The cost
of medicines available in Jan Aushadhi shops is far lower than the cost of
medicines that we have been buying in other shops. For example, a medicine
strip (पत्ता) that otherwise costs Rs. 100 is available for Rs. 40 or may be even Rs.10 or 20 in Jan
Aushadhi shops !!
What is the reason for this big difference in cost ?
The cost is less because Jan Aushadhi (जन औषधि) shops sell generic medicines.
What is the meaning of 'generic' ?
Dictionary meaning of ‘generic’ is 'belonging to a large group of objects'. We all use the word ‘general’ to mean something that is NOT distinct from others.
Let us understand this with an example…..
We all consume salt (also known as common salt)
What is the chemical name of common salt ?
As students of Chemistry you all can answer this question…….it is Sodium Chloride denoted as NaCl.
But when you go to a shop to buy salt, you do not ask the shopkeeper for Sodium Chloride. Instead you ask for Tata Salt (नमक ) or Ashiwrad Salt of Patanjali Salt.
What is the difference between Sodium
Chloride and Tata Salt/ Ashiwrad Salt/ Patanjali Salt ?
The difference is –
Sodium Chloride is the generic name of common salt
Tata Salt/ Ashiwrad Salt/ Patanjali Salt are brand names of common salts.
Common salt sold by all the three companies is the same but these are sold under different names and sometime at different prices.
Brand names are names owned by someone. Only the owner can use this name.
Generic names are not owned by anyone. Anyone & everyone can use this name.
Medicines sold under a brand name are priced high because the owner of the brand name charges extra money for its brand.
Ask your parents or grandparents whether they take medicines for high cholesterol?
Medicines recommended by doctors for high cholesterol is 'Roseday' or 'Rosuvas' or 'Crestor'.
These are three brand names.
The generic name for all the three medicines is Rosuvastatin.
This comparative table will help you understand better….
|
Commodity |
Common Salt |
Medicine |
|
Brand |
Tata/ Ashirwad/ Patanjali |
Roseday/ Rosuvas/ Crestor |
|
Generic Name |
Sodium Chloride |
Rosuvastatin |
You can buy medicine with the generic name Rosuvastatin at one of the Jan Aushadhi shops at a considerably lower cost than the cost of a branded medicine.
7th of March every years is observed as Jan Aushadhi Day (जन औषधि दिवस ) to popularize cheap medicines.
The difference in cost of branded and generic medicines can make a BIG DIFFERENCE to someone who has a small income. The money saved by buying generic medicines instead of branded medicines can be put to better use like buying and eating fruits.
So help you fellow Indians….
Please tell your parents,
friends, neighbours and everyone you can about Jan Aushadhi medicines.
My Dear Young and Little Indians,
This is also a way of serving your society and nation.
राष्ट्र से बड़ा ईश्वर नहीं
राष्ट्र भक्ति से बड़ी शक्ति नहीं
राष्ट्र सेवा से बड़ी संतुष्टि नहीं
Jai Hind !
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