Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Tuesday that the Government would challenge a Karnataka High Court order that quashed its decision to shut down Jan Aushadi Kendras functioning on government hospital premises. The outlets selling affordable generic medicines were launched under the Central Government’s Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana.
“Our intention was only to ensure that the government hospitals provide free medicines and treatment. There is nothing political in this,” Rao said, responding to questions raised by BJP MLCs Dhananjay Sarji and Pradeep Shettar during Zero Hour in the Legislative Council.
The minister said the Karnataka Government would file an appeal in the coming days.
Last week, the high court quashed the May 14 order of the Department of Health and Family Welfare that directed the closure of all Jan Aushadi Kendras operating at state-run hospitals. The high court order was based on a batch of petitions filed by the owners of Jan Aushadi Kendras arguing that the closure order had violated their constitutional rights. They highlighted the investments they had made in infrastructure, medicine stock, and equipment for the Jan Aushadi Kendras.
Rao said there were 80 Jan Aushadi Kendras operated by Mysore Sales International Limited, a state government undertaking. Noting that the health department had written to the Union health minister requesting direct supply of generic medicines, he said the state was ready to procure and distribute medicines free of cost at government hospitals.
“If it is free, it must be completely free. There should not be a system where doctors prescribe medicines to be bought outside,” Rao said.
While welcoming the Centre’s plan to expand Jan Aushadi Kendras, Rao said locating them within government hospital premises was not viable.
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“Allowing businesses inside government hospitals could lead to other problems,” he said.