AMRIT Pharmacy's 10-Year Milestone: How 255 Outlets Saved Patients Rs 8,500 Crore

The event marked a significant milestone in affordable medicine access and recognized the public sector's continuing commitment to universal health coverage, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Since their inception in 2015, AMRIT pharmacies have been instrumental in providing life-saving and essential medicines at discounts ranging from 50 per cent to 90 per cent, substantially bringing down treatment costs for patients, especially those from low-income backgrounds.

Addressing the gathering, Nadda congratulated HLL Lifecare Ltd. for its consistent and high-quality efforts in implementing AMRIT. He recalled that in 2014, under the leadership of Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government resolved to make healthcare accessible, affordable, and equitable for all citizens. It was with this vision that Jan Aushadhi and AMRIT were conceived--both designed to deliver medicines and medical supplies at affordable rates.

Nadda highlighted that AMRIT has grown into a robust national network, with over 255 pharmacies currently operational, with a vision to expand this network to 500 outlets across the country.

He also emphasized that, while every AIIMS in the country today has an AMRIT pharmacy, the next challenge is to ensure that every medical college and every district Hospital in India is equipped with AMRIT pharmacy, so that affordable medicines reach citizens at every level of the healthcare system.

He stated that by offering 50 per cent discounts on branded medicines, it has benefited more than 6.85 crore patients and reiterated that medicines worth over Rs 17,000 at MRP have been dispensed so far, resulting in cumulative savings of approximately Rs 8,500 crore for patients.

The Union Minister highlighted that the AMRIT initiative has evolved into a robust national network, currently comprising over 255 operational pharmacies. The goal is to expand this network to 500 outlets nationwide.

He also stressed that while every AIIMS facility in India now has an AMRIT pharmacy, the next challenge is to ensure that every medical college and district hospital is equipped with an AMRIT pharmacy. This will help guarantee that affordable medicines are accessible to citizens at every level of the healthcare system.

The Union Health Minister also underscored the importance of increasing public awareness about AMRIT pharmacies. He stated that more citizens must be informed about the benefits and availability of AMRIT outlets so they can actively seek and utilise the affordable services offered.

Speaking at the occasion, Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, highlighted that the AMRIT initiative was launched under the vision of PM Modi and under the guidance of Union Health Minister JP Nadda, with the core objective of ensuring affordable, accessible and equitable access to quality medicines for every citizen.

Appreciating the commitment of HLL Lifecare Limited and the AMRIT Pharmacy network, she also stated that the "HLL family and the AMRIT pharmacy network have assured that they will continue to expand the network, improve systems, and further strengthen operations with Josh, Junoon and Jazbaat, energy, enthusiasm and spirit."

Additionally, JP Nadda also inaugurated 10 new AMRIT outlets across India. He also launched AMRIT ITes - Eco Green Version 2.0, an upgraded and environmentally sustainable digital platform that aims to streamline operations, enhance transparency, and improve efficiency across the AMRIT network. The event also featured the release of Customised My Stamp in association with India Post.

Moreover, a Mobile Pharmacy Van for rural outreach in the NCR region was flagged off, enabling doorstep delivery of affordable medicines to underserved and remote communities. Furthermore, to strengthen citizen interface, a 24x7 National Contact Centre was inaugurated to offer real-time assistance on medicine availability, pricing, and the nearest AMRIT pharmacy locations.

HLL Lifecare Limited, the implementing agency of AMRIT, is a Mini Ratna Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Through its diverse portfolio, spanning contraceptives, hospital products, medical devices, and services, etc, under AMRIT, HLL serves as a comprehensive healthcare solutions provider. The organisation operates seven state-of-the-art factories, five subsidiaries, and a corporate R&D centre.

- ANI