BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 17th June 2025: A controversy erupted at Bishramganj Primary Health Center today as drug dealers voiced strong objections over the sale of branded medicines at the newly inaugurated Jan Aushadhi Kendra, a generic medicine counter meant to serve economically disadvantaged patients.
On the first day of operations, the counter managed by Nantu Debnath and Rajesh Acharya sold a branded vitamin supplement, ‘AAROFERRIC-O’ to elderly residents Surendra Debnath and Puneshwari Debnath of Barjala, Bishramganj for Rs 320 only marginally below its market price of Rs 325. The sale drew immediate attention from local representatives of the Tripura Chemist and Druggist Association, including Mihir Sen, Vaishnav Das, Shankar Datta and Shekhar Khan, who confronted the staff about the irregularity.
“A generic medicine counter should sell only non-branded formulations at significantly reduced rates. If branded medicines are stocked, they should be priced far lower than market value,” stated a representative of the association. Concerns were raised over whether the sale had proper hospital approval with questions about tender procedures and billing transparency.
Unable to justify the sale, the counter staff admitted to the error, promptly refunded the elderly couple, and assured the drug dealer’s association that such discrepancies would not occur in the future.
The incident highlights broader concerns about compliance and pricing policies at government-run generic medicine outlets, which aim to make healthcare more affordable for the underprivileged. The local drug dealer community has urged authorities to establish stricter oversight to prevent similar lapses.
