BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 9th June 2025: The Unakoti District Hospital has always been seen as a pillar of healthcare for the district’s poor people, but now finds itself at the center of controversy as the ‘Jan Aushadhi Kendra’, a government initiative meant to provide affordable medicines remains closed despite official directives. The delay has forced many underprivileged patients to purchase costly medicines from private pharmacies or forgo treatment altogether.
The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) was designed to make generic medicines available at government-controlled prices. However, the Jan Aushadhi Kendra at Unakoti District Hospital in Kailashahar has remained shut for years leaving patients in distress.
Sources indicate that although the Director of Health Services issued a directive on March 17, 2025 instructing the hospital to allot space to local businessman Md. Nurul Amin Khadim for reopening the pharmacy within three months, the process is still stalled. The deadline June 17 is fast approaching, yet no visible steps have been taken.
An internal source alleges that bureaucratic hurdles, including a delay in necessary documentation, have prevented the approval from being finalized. Even more concerning, whispers within the hospital suggest that a circle of influence within the administration might be intentionally prolonging the process potentially granting an unofficial extension beyond the mandated three-month period.
The situation has sparked outrage among local residents and patients with many questioning whether the delay is benefiting external pharmacy owners at the expense of the poor. “Why is the government’s own order being ignored? Is healthcare supposed to be a privilege for the rich?” asked one frustrated patient outside the hospital.
Concerns have also been raised about potential collusion between pharmaceutical companies and influential doctors in the hospital. While no direct evidence has emerged, critics argue that continued postponements only fuel suspicion.
When asked about the issue, District Hospital Superintendent Dr. Rohan Pal stated over the phone, “We are trying to get the center up and running quickly. The person who was awarded the contract is still in time, hopefully the center will open soon.” However, many remain skeptical, arguing that repeated promises mean little without tangible results.
With crores of rupees spent on hospital development, the inability to open a single essential medicine shop has raised deeper questions about healthcare priorities. Will the June 17 deadline be met or will poor patients continue to bear the burden of inflated pharmaceutical costs?
Residents and activists are demanding that the state and central governments intervene decisively. They argue that if authorities are serious about public welfare, they must ensure the prompt establishment of the Jan Aushadhi Kendra rather than allow administrative neglect to masquerade as progress.
For now, all eyes remain on June 17, the date that will determine whether relief finally arrives for patients—or if another bureaucratic excuse buries their hopes once again.
