AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Sunday accused the Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, of neglecting affordable healthcare and demanded the restoration of Amma pharmacies to provide medicines at subsidised prices, IANS reported.

Source: IANS via Hi India

In a statement, Palaniswami alleged that the government's failure to address rising medicine prices was placing an increasing burden on poor and middle-class families, particularly those dependent on lifesaving drugs. These are the AIADMK leader's allegations; no state government response was recorded in the reports.

He recalled that former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa launched Amma pharmacies through the cooperative sector in 2014 to make essential medicines available at affordable prices, and said the AIADMK government under his leadership subsequently expanded the network across Tamil Nadu.

Palaniswami alleged that the DMK government, which assumed office in 2021, undermined the initiative, discontinued Amma pharmacy operations and promoted an alternative under the 'Chief Minister's Pharmacy' banner with private participation, and claimed the present government had also failed to give the pharmacies importance, South Politics reported.

Source: South Politics

Citing the All India Drug Action Network, Palaniswami said concerns persisted over pharmaceutical companies selling certain lifesaving medicines at prices involving profit margins exceeding 30 per cent. He also referred to proceedings in the Supreme Court on October 27 concerning medicine pricing, saying the court had sought explanations from the Centre and states about prices charged at hospitals.

Contrasting the government's approach, he pointed to what he said was projected additional annual revenue of Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 1,600 crore through increased taxation on liquor sold through TASMAC outlets, and urged the government to make Amma pharmacies fully operational so affordable medicines reach vulnerable households.