Tentulikhunti A district-level celebration of Jan Aushadhi Diwas was held at the Parjabarang Padar Gram Panchayat premises in Tentulikhunti block, Nabarangpur. The event was graced by Member of Parliament Balabhadra Majhi as the chief guest, while MLA Gauri Shankar Majhi attended as the distinguished guest. The program was presided over by Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr. Santosh Panda and was coordinated by PM Sushant Kumar Praharaj.
Since the event took place in the Barang Padar Panchayat, Sarpanch Bandita Nayak expressed gratitude to the health department, MP, and MLA. However, she also expressed disappointment over the Indravati Project Health Center not being a fully functional hospital and urged for a resolution to the issue.
Speaking at the event, CDMO Dr. Panda addressed a common misconception that Jan Aushadhi medicines are ineffective due to their low cost. He clarified that these medicines are approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and are sold only through certified Jan Aushadhi centers. So far, around 2,100 medicines have been approved for these centers.
MP Balabhadra Majhi, in his speech, questioned why the government renamed PHCs (Primary Health Centers) as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs but has not given similar attention to Jan Aushadhi centers. He also highlighted that currently, four Jan Aushadhi centers are operating in the district, and the central government is providing incentives to establish more.
MLA Gauri Majhi advised people, especially mothers, to reduce the use of oil, salt, sugar, and spices in food preparation, practice yoga and pranayama, and rely on home remedies for minor illnesses. Otherwise, they should use medicines from Jan Aushadhi centers instead of costly alternatives.
The event was supported by PM Ranjan Mishra, M. Tapan Kumar, Saraswati Dei, Santosh Singh, health workers from Tentulikhunti Health Center, four Anganwadi workers, and ASHA workers.
Before the event, MP Majhi and MLA Gauri Majhi visited the Jan Aushadhi center run by Deepak Raut in Khatikuda, inquired about the availability and quality of medicines, and even purchased some. They encouraged everyone to buy medicines from Jan Aushadhi centers whenever needed.