Hypertension, diabetes drugs among top-selling medicines at Janaushadhi kendras this year

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: Drugs to treat lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes were among the top-selling medicines at the government's generic pharmacies across the country this year, an official said. Telmisartan tablets to treat high blood pressure averaged monthly sales of about 1.41 million strips at the kendras run under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), the official aware of the matter said.

About 1.07 million strips of atorvastatin 10 mg tablets to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease were sold monthly. About 1.24 million strips of the fixed-dose combination of pantoprazole and domperidone to manage acidity, also known as Pan-D, were sold every month. Sales of a key anti-diabetic fixed-dose combination drug, Glimepiride 2 mg + Metformin Hydrochloride 500 mg (sustained release), reached 829,000 strips every month.

Also, 400,000 strips of amlodipine and atenolol to prevent hypertension and angina were sold monthly. “Drugs used for managing gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases, painkillers and anti-diabetic medicines have recorded the maximum average sales this year in our kendras across the country," said Ravi Dadhich, CEO of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), the agency implementing the PMBJP. “In addition to this, surgical and medical consumables—for example – Janaushadhi Suvidha (sanitary napkins) are also the topmost selling products." The government set up these Janaushadhi kendras to make quality generic medicines available at affordable rates for everyone.