Tamil Nadu Governments low price medical shops – the first branch at Chennai
The government will be opening its own low-priced medical shops in 6 different places across the state. The first branch will be inaugurated at RGGH (Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital) at Chennai in a week.The current population living in Tamil Nadu is 7,21,38,958. There are 32,356 medical shops (privately owned) across the state. This amounts to one medical shop for every 2,230 individuals.
With the outbreak of a variety of diseases, the poor have found it extremely difficult to afford buying medicines. Medical shops were opened in 2 TUCS shops; however, the prices of the medicines were the same as private medical shops. The poor public did not have any benefit.
The Health Department has planned to open low-priced medical shops across the state. As a first step, the first low-priced medical shop is scheduled to be opened in RGGH in a week. A 200 sq. ft. space has been provided in the outpatient ward for this purpose.
The Health department officials informed:
Tamil Nadu Medical Association buys bulk medicines and distributes across the government hospitals, district head-quarter hospitals, and the primary health centres. The low-priced medical shop to be opened in RGGH will sell costlier medicines for diabetes and kidney-related (post-operation) ailments at lower prices. Procurements have started and 5 other low-priced medical shops are scheduled to be opened across the state.The effort for this project has been taken primarily by Mr. A. Suresh Kumar from Velankanni, Nagappattinam. He has been researching on the medical goods selling management over the last few years. Mr. A. Suresh Kumar told:
“After 4 years of research, I sent a detailed to letter to the government indicating the successful possibility of government-owned low-price medical shops. Subsequently, Tamil Nadu Medical Association Managing Director, Mr. Rajendra Ratnu called me for a meeting.
He explained how the government can undertake opening its own low-priced medical shops and run them successfully. The government started planning to open the low-priced medical shops. I consider this as a victory for my 4-year research and efforts.”
