Chandigarh: In a significant step towards making healthcare more affordable and accessible, five AMRIT Pharmacies will commence operations in Haryana on August 15, bringing quality medicines to people at substantially lower prices and helping reduce the out-of-pocket burden of treatment on families.
Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Sumita Misra said here today that the five pharmacies would begin functioning at Fatehabad, Hansi, Sirsa, Charkhi Dadri and Hisar from Independence Day.
The rollout marks the beginning of the ground-level implementation of Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini’s vision to establish an AMRIT Pharmacy in every district of Haryana, so that people can access quality medicines closer to their homes without having to travel to bigger cities or depend on high-cost medicine outlets.
Up to 50 per cent discount on MRP
AMRIT — Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for treatment — is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, implemented through HLL Lifecare Limited. The initiative is aimed at reducing patients’ expenditure on treatment by making medicines, implants and surgical consumables available at discounts of up to 50 per cent on MRP.
The initiative is particularly important for patients suffering from serious and life-threatening conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, where the cost of medicines, implants and other medical consumables can place a considerable financial burden on families.
Dr. Misra said that affordable healthcare was not limited to building hospitals and expanding medical infrastructure; it was equally important to ensure that the cost of medicines does not prevent a patient from continuing treatment. The expansion of AMRIT Pharmacies is therefore being undertaken with a clear focus on making essential and quality medicines more accessible at the district level.
AMRIT Pharmacies to reach every district
In Haryana, AMRIT Pharmacies are being established across District Civil Hospitals, alongside Vita Milk Parlours spread over approximately 1,000 sq. ft., creating integrated and easily accessible facilities within the existing public healthcare ecosystem.
Sites have already been identified across Haryana, with 15 district locations allocated so far, while coordination is underway for the remaining locations. The five pharmacies becoming operational on August 15 represent an important first phase of the state-wide expansion.
The district-wise rollout is expected to provide particular relief to ordinary families, senior citizens and patients requiring long-term or regular medication, for whom even a modest reduction in medicine costs can translate into significant savings over time.
With the network being expanded progressively to every district, Haryana is moving towards a healthcare model in which quality treatment is supported by affordable medicines bringing relief closer to people’s homes and making healthcare more financially sustainable for families.
