NEW DELHI: Janaushadhi Saptah 2026, the annual nationwide campaign to promote awareness on affordable, high-quality generic medicines, commenced today with health check-up camps across the country. The initiative marks the start of week-long activities leading up to the 8th Janaushadhi Diwas on March 7. The Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, is organizing these camps at more than 250 locations from March 1 to 5.
In keeping with this year’s theme, “Affordable, Reliable Generics — Better Health with Savings,” the camps are not only providing on-site diagnostic services but also educating the public about the availability, accessibility, and reliability of generic medicines at Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMBJAKs). These Kendras, established under the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, aim to dispel myths surrounding generic medicines while ensuring that essential drugs remain affordable for all.
On Day 1, health camps were held at about 50 locations, including Subhash Nagar and Ashok Vihar in Delhi, Bilaspur, Chandrapura, Ludhiana, Hubballi–Dharwad, Dakshina Kannada, Pune, Chennai, Chidambaram, Puducherry, Jaipur, Dehradun, and Bulandshahr, among others. The camps witnessed enthusiastic participation, drawing an average of 100 attendees per centre, with a special focus on women and senior citizens, who formed a significant portion of the beneficiaries.
The services offered covered a wide spectrum—free blood tests, blood pressure checks, and thyroid screenings, along with doctor consultations across general medicine, infections, chronic conditions, paediatrics, and in several locations, specialist care in nephrology and diabetology. Extensive free distribution of Janaushadhi medicines was carried out, reinforcing the initiative’s core objective of affordable healthcare. Many centres also hosted physiotherapy consultations, eye check-ups, and child health programmes, ensuring a holistic health outreach during the opening day of the Saptah.