New Delhi, Sep 15: Access to affordable healthcare is gradually moving beyond medicines as Jan Aushadhi Kendras expand their range of products to address the everyday needs of newborns, mothers, children, senior citizens and people requiring long-term care.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), the government is strengthening the network of Jan Aushadhi Kendras and widening the product basket to include healthcare and supportive-care items that families frequently need at different stages of life. The network now has more than 20,000 Kendras across the country.
For families welcoming a newborn, expenses can quickly increase as baby-care products become a regular part of household spending. Through the Janaushadhi Bachpan range, Kendras offer products such as baby diapers, wipes, feeding bottles, manual breast pumps, infant feeding tubes and hot water bags.
The expanded basket also takes into account the healthcare needs of mothers following childbirth. Products such as abdominal belts and other supportive-care items are available through the network, giving families access to essential products without having to depend entirely on conventional retail channels.
As children grow, healthcare requirements can change. Medical devices such as nebulizers and child nebulizer masks can help families manage certain healthcare needs at home, while products such as glucometer test strips and pulse oximeters can support routine monitoring when advised by healthcare professionals.
The initiative also recognises the growing care requirements of elderly, dependent and bedridden family members. For households looking after senior citizens over longer periods, products related to hygiene, mobility and daily care can become recurring expenses. The government has introduced the Janaushadhi Swabhiman range, which includes adult diapers aimed at supporting dignity and hygiene for people requiring assistance.
The wider product basket is intended to reduce the financial pressure associated with frequently used healthcare and supportive-care products. For families managing recurring healthcare needs, even relatively small savings on regular purchases can make a meaningful difference to household budgets.
The programme’s product range is also expected to expand further. Products under consideration include knee braces, sit-assist walkers, medical steam vaporizers, foot elevator pillows, pregnancy back-support belts and cervical collars. The proposed additions would further extend the network’s focus towards mobility, rehabilitation and supportive care.
The expansion comes as the government continues to strengthen the Jan Aushadhi ecosystem. The PMBJP product basket already covers thousands of medicines along with surgical items, medical consumables and devices across a wide range of healthcare requirements.
For ordinary households, the significance of the initiative lies in making essential healthcare products available through a familiar and increasingly widespread network. From newborn care and post-delivery support to routine health monitoring and elderly care, the expanded basket aims to make affordable healthcare more accessible throughout a family’s healthcare journey.
By broadening the role of Jan Aushadhi Kendras beyond medicines, the government is seeking to build a more comprehensive affordable-healthcare network while helping households manage the rising cost of everyday healthcare needs.