SHILLONG: Affordable Medicines and Retail Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacy scheme was launched on Thursday at Civil Hospital, Shillong by Health Minister Roshan Warjri.
In her speech, she said that the AMRIT was not only available to the Civil Hospital patients but to the public at large.
She said, “AMRIT pharmacy will be open in nine other hospitals in the state which include Ganesh Das Hospital, Nongstoin Civil Hospital, Jowai Civil Hospital, Nongpoh Civil Hospital, Tura Civil Hospital, Tura MCH, Baghmara Civil Hospital etc.”
Warjri also urged the hospital staff and doctors to “continue their culture of compassion” as she heard of report from the patients who are happy with how the doctors and staff deal with patients.
Mission Director, HM Shangpliang said that as on July 31 there were 30.68 lakhs patients who have been benefitted from AMRIT pharmacies and saved Rs 164.10 crores thereby reducing the out of pocket expenditure.
“AMRIT pharmacies will be linked with the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) in a bid to provide free drugs to the respective beneficiaries,” he said.
Shangpliang stated that the government is committed to provide better healthcare services to the people.
AMRIT is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to provide medicines for cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases at a discounted rate.
The first AMRIT outlet was opened at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi on November 2015. Shillong is the 85th AMRIT pharmacy in the country.