Union Health Minister Shri J. P. Nadda inaugurated the 10th anniversary celebration of AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) Pharmacy at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, announcing a major nationwide expansion of the affordable medicines network.
Launched in 2015, AMRIT pharmacies offer life-saving and essential medicines at 50%–90% discounts, significantly reducing treatment costs for millions of patients, especially from low-income groups. Shri Nadda praised HLL Lifecare Ltd. for “consistent and high-quality efforts” and recalled that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership in 2014, the government aimed to make healthcare “accessible, affordable, and equitable.”
Highlighting the network’s growth, he said AMRIT has expanded to over 255 outlets and is now targeting 500 pharmacies across India. He stressed the need to ensure that “every medical college and every district hospital in India is equipped with AMRIT pharmacy.” He added that offering “50 percent discounts on branded medicines is a significant achievement benefiting more than 6.85 crore patients,” with medicines worth ₹17,000 crore MRP dispensed and savings of about ₹8,400 crore.
Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava reiterated that the initiative was launched under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guidance of Shri JP Nadda to ensure “affordable, accessible and equitable access to quality medicines for every citizen.” She appreciated the HLL and AMRIT teams, noting that the network will continue to expand “with Josh, Junoon and Jazbaat—energy, enthusiasm and spirit.”
Delivering the vote of thanks, Ms. Anitha Thampi expressed gratitude for Shri Nadda’s “visionary leadership” and acknowledged the efforts of the Health Ministry and AMRIT teams for ensuring affordable medicines reach citizens.
During the event, Shri Nadda also inaugurated 10 new AMRIT outlets and launched AMRIT ITes – Eco Green Version 2.0, a sustainable digital platform to improve transparency and efficiency, along with a Customised My Stamp released in partnership with India Post.
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