Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers DV Sadananda Gowda has launched a mobile application ‘Janaushadhi Sugam’ and announced that ‘Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin’ will now be available at only one rupee per pad. Minister of State for Shipping (IC) and Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mansukh L Mandaviya also graced the event.
Making the announcement on the Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins, Gowda said that the assurance by prime minister Narendra Modi on this aspect about a year ago has been fulfilled now. He said that the ‘Janaushadhi Sugam’ will enable people to search Janaushadhi generic medicines and the stores at the tip of their fingers.
The Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mansukh L Mandaviya said that about 28 million girls are reported to be leaving education because of lack of availability of good-quality sanitary napkins at a reasonable cost. He said, “Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) is determined to provide affordable healthcare to all Indians through ever-increasing network of PMBJP kendras across the country and this has already led to substantial savings to poor on medicines.”
The government of India had launched ‘Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin’ at Rs 2.50 per pad on 4th June, 2018. The napkin comprises a special additive, which makes it biodegradable when it comes in contact with oxygen after being discarded. Till 31st July 2019, over 1.30 crore pads were sold at PMBJP kendras.
In order to make these sanitary pads more affordable and accessible to the women of India, the government has now decided to make these pads available at the rate of one rupee per pad as promised by the prime minister before 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.
This is an important step in ensuring the health security for the section of Indian women who still use unhygienic aids during menstrual period due to non-affordability of sanitary pads available in the market. This will ensure ‘swachhta, swasthya and suvidha’ for the underprivileged women of the country. This step taken by the DoP will ensure the achievement of prime minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘affordable and quality healthcare’ for all. It will also help in fulfilling the prime minister’s dream of “clean and green India” as these pads are oxo-biodegradable and environment-friendly. Jan Aushadhi Suvidha is being made available for sale in more than 5,500 PMBJP kendras across the country.
‘Janaushadhi Sugam’ mobile application would have user-friendly options like – to locate nearby Jan aushadhi kendra, direction guidance for location of the Jan aushadhi kendra through Google map, search Janaushadhi generic medicines, analyse product comparison of generic v/s branded medicine in terms of MRP and overall savings, etc. The mobile application is available on both Android and iOS platforms and can be downloaded free of cost.