Now, a Rs. One lakh crore industry, the Indian pharmaceutical industry has shown tremendous progress in infrastructural development, technologically, in human resources and in its wide range of products. Not only has it established its presence, it has also shown immense determination to flourish in a changing environment.

Jena’s speech was at the launch of Jan Ausadhi Abhiyan, the National campaign for ensuring universal reach of generic medicines across populations.

In terms of volume, India’s pharmaceutical industry now ranks 3rd in the world and 14th in terms of value, producing bulk drugs from all major therapeutic groups that require complicated manufacturing technologies.

The industry produces formulations in various dosage forms in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and WHO compliant facilities in India, made possible by strong scientific and technical manpower, including pioneering work in process development.

Jena informs the Department of Pharmaceuticals is working on the vision that by 2020, India will be one of the top five global pharmaceutical innovation hubs.

The economic and social returns of investments to make this aspiration a reality could be significant, helping India create over 500,000 high value jobs, including providing low cost healthcare for chronic and life threatening ailments like malaria and tuberculosis.

The Jan Aushadhi campaign Jena said will see the government facilitating the setting up of Jan Aushadhi stores for selling unbranded quality generic medicines at lower prices to mainly reduce healthcare costs, of which medicines constitute a major part. Generic medicines will cost substantially less than branded ones e. g. diclofenac tablets will be available for Rs. 3.10 as opposed to Rs. 37.70 per strip for branded tablets.

The term generic describes products, particularly drugs that do not carry a trademark, such as, paracetamol, a chemical ingredient found in many branded painkillers, but often sold as a generic medicine on its own.

Orissa is the fifth state in the country and first in eastern India to have launched Jan Ausadhi Abhiyan, with states like Punjab and Rajasthan making rapid strides in the campaign extension having opened 30 stores as of now.

The campaign is being implemented with the help of Pharma PSUs like Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited, Hindustan Antibiotics Limited, Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals, Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals and Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited in association with State Health and Family Welfare Department.